PRIME MINISTER

10 Downing Street: Shops

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister whether the prices of items in the Downing Street Gift Shop were increased when the value added tax rate returned to 17.5 per cent.

Gordon Brown: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 13 January 2009,  Official Report, column 580W.

Government Departments: Security

Francis Maude: To ask the Prime Minister with reference to the answer of 21 July 2009,  Official Report, column 1166W, on Government Departments: security 
	(1)  who would be consulted when taking a decision on whether to refer a case to the Security Commission;
	(2)  and to the answer to the hon. Member for Southend West of 8 June 2009,  Official Report, column 712W, on Damian Green, for what reason the Security Commission was not requested to investigate in the case of the Home Office leaks that subsequently lead to the Cabinet Office asking the police to investigate.

Gordon Brown: I have nothing further to add to the answers given on 21 July 2009,  Official Report, column 1166W and 8 June 2009,  Official Report, column 712W.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Civil Service: Pay

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take steps to ensure that employees of  (a) his Department,  (b) the Police Service of Northern Ireland and  (c) the Northern Ireland Courts Service receive settlement terms and back-pay the same as those awarded to civil servants in equivalent paybands working for departments of the Northern Ireland Executive under the Northern Ireland Civil Service Equal Pay Settlement.

Paul Goggins: The equal pay settlement for staff in the Northern Ireland civil service departments does not apply to staff in the Northern Ireland Office (NIO).
	The Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance has indicated that they would like to discuss this matter with NIO management and a meeting has been arranged. Discussions are ongoing with PSNI on whether there are equal pay issues to be addressed.
	Prior to the devolution of policing and justice functions, it is for the Northern Ireland Courts Service to consider any equal pay matters relevant to that organisation.
	The NIO has its own pay and grading arrangements and does not accept that there are equal pay issues to be addressed in the Department. This will of course be a matter for discussion with the Northern Ireland Public Service Alliance.

Crimes of Violence: Children

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were convicted of an assault in which the victim was a child in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: The information is not available in the format requested. Northern Ireland conviction data do not include victim information in relation to the commission of an offence. Therefore it is possible only to give the number of convictions for those assault offences which by their definition refer to a child or children. These are: 'common assault on a child or young person' and 'aggravated assault on a male child'.
	The data given in the following table cover the calendar years 2004 to 2006 (the latest years for which figures are available) and are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Number of convictions for assault of a child 2004-06( 1) 
			   Convictions 
			 2004 12 
			 2005 8 
			 2006 7 
			 (1) Data do not include sexual offences against a child or children.

Departmental Food

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the quantity of food waste generated by his Department in each year for which figures are available.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) has not made any estimate of the food waste arising from the Department. My Department strives to ensure that purchases match demand and that, where possible, only peelings and cuttings are disposed of.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years.

Shaun Woodward: The following table shows how much the Northern Ireland Office (NIO), including its arms length bodies and the Public Prosecution Service Northern Ireland but excluding its agencies and NDPBs, has spend on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years.
	
		
			  (£) 
			   2007-08  2008-09 
			 New furnishings 339,774 233,359 
			 Works of art 2,750 3,100 
			 New vehicles 0 0 
		
	
	Expenditure on new furnishings is based on costs coded to the furniture expense codes on the NIO finance system. All expenditure has to be incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on Regularity and Propriety.

Departmental Surveys

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library a copy of the results from his Department's most recent staff survey; which organisation carried out the survey; and what the cost of the survey to his Department was.

Shaun Woodward: The Northern Ireland Office (NIO) will be publishing its June 2009 staff survey results on the NIO website on 1 February 2010. Following publication, we will place a copy of the results in the Library.
	The Northern Ireland Office staff survey was designed and delivered by the NIO Business Improvement Team. The Department did not incur any costs in the design and delivery of the survey.

Domestic Violence

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of domestic violence were reported to the police in each  (a) police district and  (b) council area in Northern Ireland in 2008-09.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Driving Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were convicted of  (a) a motoring offence that resulted in a fatality and  (b) careless driving in each of the last two years.

Paul Goggins: Table 1 gives the number of convictions for motoring offences causing death, while Table 2 gives convictions for careless driving (and related offences).
	Data cover the calendar years 2005 and 2006 (the latest years for which figures are available) and are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of convictions for motoring offences causing death 2005 and 2006 
			   Number 
			 2005 9 
			 2006 13 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of convictions for careless driving/driving without due care and attention 2005 and 2006( 1,2) 
			   Number 
			 2005 1,597 
			 2006 1,458 
			 (1) Includes convictions for the offences 'driving without reasonable consideration for others', 'cause grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly when unfit' and causing grievous bodily injury by driving carelessly with excess alcohol'. (2) Excludes careless driving offences causing death and dangerous driving offences.

Racial Violence

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people were subject to a racially-motivated attack in each  (a) police district and  (b) council district in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years.

Paul Goggins: That is an operational matter for the Chief Constable. I have asked him to reply directly to the hon. Member, and a copy of his letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

Sexual Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were  (a) prosecuted for and  (b) convicted of a serious sexual assault in each year since 2007.

Paul Goggins: The following table outlines the number of prosecutions and convictions for serious sexual assaults by type of offence for the calendar years 2004 to 2006 (the latest years for which figures are available).
	Data are collated on the principal offence rule; so only the most serious offence with which an offender is charged is included.
	
		
			  Prosecutions and convictions for serious sexual assault offences by type of offence 2004 to 2006 
			   2004  2005  2006 
			   Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions  Prosecutions  Convictions 
			 Rape 29 15 21 4 32 11 
			 Attempted rape 8 3 9 4 5 0 
			 Gross indecency with child 5 3 10 6 6 5 
			 Buggery with male person, 16 years or over without consent 1 0 0 0 0 0 
			 Buggery with boy under 16 years of age 11 6 3 1 7 3 
			 Buggery with a woman 1 1 0 0 0 0 
			 Buggery with a girl 3 1 2 0 1 0 
			 Unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 14 years 4 4 4 3 3 3 
			 Unlawful carnal knowledge of a girl under 17 years 3 2 4 4 6 5 
			 Incest by man on female 0 0 1 1 1 1 
			 Forcibly abducting a female with intent to carnally know her 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 Indecent assault on female 89 57 85 51 109 73 
			 Indecent assault on male 20 17 16 11 14 8 
			 Indecent assault on female child 8 3 20 18 5 2 
			 Indecent assault on male child 6 4 8 5 1 0 
			 Total 188 116 184 108 190 111

SCOTLAND

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office spend is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			   Furnishings  Art  Vehicles 
			 2007-08 13,347 514 0 
			 2008-09 5,763 0 0

WALES

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Mike Wood: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the  (a) Department,  (b) agencies and  (c) non-departmental public bodies for which he has responsibility plan to sign up to the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon usage; and if he will publish the research or criteria on which decisions about participation in the campaign have been based.

Wayne David: As an associated office of the Ministry of Justice, the Wales Office is covered by and contributes to the targets and sustainability framework developed by that Ministry. The Wales Office has no agencies or non-departmental public bodies.
	My Department does, however, take its impact on the environment seriously, and has for example reduced carbon emissions by 85 per cent. since 1999-2000. We will continue to look for ways to reduce emissions still further.

Departmental Mobile Phones

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many  (a) mobile telephones and  (b) BlackBerrys were provided to (i) Ministers and (ii) special advisers in his Department since April 2009; and at what cost to the public purse.

Wayne David: The number of mobile telephones and BlackBerrys provided to Ministers and special advisers in the Wales Office since April 2009 is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Number 
			   Mobile telephones  BlackBerrys 
			 Ministers 0 0 
			 Special advisers 0 2 
		
	
	The Wales Office is provided with its IT and telephone equipment through the Ministry of Justice and does not directly purchase BlackBerrys or mobile telephones. Consequently information related to cost is not held.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last three years.

Wayne David: In 2007 a refurbishment program was undertaken to Gwydyr House at a cost of £52,900. This involved the replacement of curtains provided for security reasons, worn carpets replaced on health and safety grounds and the replacement of worn and damaged furniture. In 2008 my Department committed no expenditure on furnishings. In 2009, following extensive structural work on the props in our basement, new furniture was purchased to provide us with a dedicated Video Conferencing Room at a total cost of £8,186.
	All artwork is on loan from the National Museum of Wales or the Government Art Collection.
	All vehicles used by the Wales Office are leased through the Government Car and Despatch agency.

Tomorrow's Wales

Cheryl Gillan: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings Ministers in his Department have had with representatives of Tomorrow's Wales since the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election.

Peter Hain: I have had one such meeting on 28 October 2009.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Electoral Register: Second Homes

Stewart Jackson: To ask the hon. Member for South-West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what guidance the Electoral Commission provides to second home owners on their eligibility to register to vote in their electoral area of their second home.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that general guidance is provided on its website at:
	www.electoralcommission.org.uk
	This explains that the decision to register an elector rests with the local electoral registration officer (ERO) who will consider the circumstances of each case. Paying council tax on a second home does not qualify a person for registration in that area. The guidance directs people to contact their ERO for clarification.
	The Commission's guidance manual for EROs contains advice on registering electors in respect of a second address.

General Election

Stewart Jackson: To ask the hon. Member for South-West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what assessment the Electoral Commission has made of the merits of holding a national referendum on the same day as a general election.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it is for Parliament to decide the date when a national referendum should be held.
	However, if asked for advice on a proposal to combine a referendum with an election, the Commission would consider the facts relating to that specific combination, looking at what the benefits or drawbacks to the voter would be. Relevant factors would include whether any significant change in the electoral process was being applied for the first time and the likely increase in turnout resulting from combination. The Commission's priority is that any combined event should be well run and easy for voters to understand and participate in.

General Election

Stewart Jackson: To ask the hon. Member for South-West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar of 22 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1629W, on general elections, what evidence the Electoral Commission holds on the effects on timing of vote counting on the accuracy of the count.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it received representations from returning officers and electoral administrators as part of its 2005 review of the timing of counts at future combined Scottish parliamentary and local government elections, which suggested that staff fatigue arising from conducting an overnight Scottish Parliament count followed by a complex local government count the following day could lead to the accuracy of the count being called into question.
	However, the Commission further informs me that specific, statistical evidence on the relative accuracy of Thursday and Friday counts would be difficult to collate, not only because there have been relatively few counts commenced on Friday morning in recent years, but also given the many different variables which could affect accuracy.

General Election 2010

David Evennett: To ask the hon. Member for South- West Devon, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what information the Electoral Commission holds on the number of election counts that are not planned to commence on the evening of polling day in the general election.

Gary Streeter: The Electoral Commission informs me that it has asked all returning officers to provide information about their current plans for counting ballot papers at the next UK parliamentary general election. This information has been made available in the House of Commons Library.
	In summary, as of 7 January 2010, returning officers for 586 out of 650 constituencies had provided information. Of these, 52 currently do not plan to count ballot papers on the evening of polling day at the general election. A further 17 have indicated they may defer counting in the event that the general election is combined with local authority elections, and 187 were still undecided.

DEFENCE

Afghanistan

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the monetary value was of allowances paid to his Department's civilian staff based in Afghanistan in 2008-09.

Bob Ainsworth: A total of £2,517,957 was paid in allowances to MOD civilian staff based in Afghanistan during financial year 2008-09.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to support and promote provincial and district level governance in Afghanistan outside the Kabul district.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 6 January 2010
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development on 6 January 2010.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 7 December 2009,  Official Report, column 87W, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, how many personnel  (a) wounded and  (b) deployed outside the wire of a main operating base in Afghanistan have not been issued with a morphine auto injector.

Bob Ainsworth: All military personnel deployed 'outside the wire' in Afghanistan are issued with a morphine auto injector, in accordance with standard operating instructions.

Aircraft Carriers: Northern Ireland

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding he expects to allocate in respect of contract work related to the new aircraft carrier project to be undertaken in Northern Ireland.

Quentin Davies: Subcontracts for the Queen Elizabeth (QE) class are not allocated but awarded via a selection process based on competition. Contracts have been awarded to over 50 suppliers based in the UK, some of which may have facilities in Northern Ireland. However, we are not aware of any work being based in Northern Ireland at this time. A number of subcontracts have yet to be competed and companies within Northern Ireland remain free to bid.

Anniversaries

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what preparations he has made for the commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain; and if he will make a statement.

Kevan Jones: The Royal Air Force is developing a comprehensive plan for a series of events to commemorate and celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. Many of these events are being arranged in conjunction with service charities, veterans' organisations and associations. The principal event of the celebrations will be the Annual Service of Commemoration and Dedication to be held in Westminster Abbey on 19 September and the statue of Sir Keith Park will be also be unveiled in Waterloo Place in September. In due course a comprehensive list of activities and events will be distributed via the Royal Air Force website.

Armed Conflict

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent research his Department has undertaken on the predictability of the outbreak of future conflicts of  (a) a state-against-state and  (b) an insurgency nature; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: The Ministry of Defence undertakes a range of research on these topics and contributes to cross-Government work. The Defence Green Paper which I announced in July 2009 will cover findings from this work.

Armed Forces: Housing

Danny Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service accommodation properties in  (a) Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency,  (b) the Highlands and  (c) Scotland have an energy certificate rating of (i) A, (ii) B, (iii) C, (iv) D, (v) E, (vi) F and (vii) G.

Kevan Jones: The Department does not issue energy performance certificates for service accommodation.
	However, a small scale representative assessment, for proposed future investment purposes, of 58 SFA properties in Helensburgh resulted in 27 of these properties achieving a C rating, 25 a D rating and six an E rating.

Defence: Finance

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the recommendations of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review have since been fully funded.

Bob Ainsworth: The 1998 SDR identified a range of priorities that have evolved over the intervening period to reflect the changing strategic setting and the experience of operations. Successive spending reviews have provided resources to fund these priorities.

Departmental Consultants

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on external consultancy during 2008-09.

Bob Ainsworth: A summary of the MOD's expenditure on external assistance in 2008-09, including the spend figures for Defence agencies and trading funds, was placed in the Library of the House in July 2009.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many iPods have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Quentin Davies: The Department has no central arrangements for purchasing iPods.
	A comprehensive answer to this question could therefore be produced only by contacting all units and establishments to inquire whether any such items have been purchased under local arrangements. This could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Finance

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much and what percentage of his Department's budget was spent on  (a) pay,  (b) pensions and  (c) equipment in each year since 1997.

Bob Ainsworth: The information available since 2003-04 is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Pay (£ billion)  Percentage  Pensions  (£ billion)  Percentage  Equipment  (£ billion)  Percentage 
			 2003-04 8.9 23.4 2.6 6.7 10.9 28.5 
			 2004-05 9.1 23.2 2.6 6.6 10.8 27.4 
			 2005-06 9.2 22.8 2.8 6.9 11.0 27.0 
			 2006-07 9.4 22.7 2.8 6.8 11.7 28.3 
			 2007-08 9.5 21.6 2.8 6.4 12.4 28.0 
			 2008-09 9.8 21.5 2.8 6.2 13.4 29.3 
		
	
	In addition, payments made under the separately funded Armed Forces Pensions Scheme have been as follows:
	
		
			   £ billion 
			 2003-04 2.5 
			 2004-05 2.7 
			 2005-06 2.8 
			 2006-07 3.0 
			 2007-08 3.2 
			 2008-09 3.4 
			  Notes:  1. The calculation of the percentage figures has been based on the sum of the outturn for (a) departmental expenditure limits, including non-cash costs (depreciation, impairments and cost of capital) and (b) war pensions and allowances (Request for Resources 3).  2. Expenditure on pay includes salaries and wages and social security costs.  3. Complete information is not held for before 2003-04.  4. The pension costs funded by the MOD are mainly those for armed forces personnel. The pension costs for civilian staff are covered by the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme operated by the Cabinet Office.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years.

Bob Ainsworth: In each of the last two years there has been no expenditure on new works of art by the MOD. It is not possible to separately identify the costs of new vehicles from the overall leasing costs of non-operational vehicles used by the Department. For new furnishings, the expenditure in each year is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  New furnishings 
			   Expenditure (£ million) 
			 2007-08 18.7 
			 2008-09 21.9 
		
	
	These costs represent only the cost of new furniture purchased including office furniture, furniture for messes and barracks, service families' accommodation, and ships; other furnishing costs are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

EU Battlegroups

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are for the UK to participate in permanent structured co-operation.

Bob Ainsworth: We are currently engaging with other EU member states over the establishment of permanent structured co-operation, including discussion of what benefits it might bring for European capability and what criteria might be proposed. We will decide on UK participation once agreement has been reached.

European Fighter Aircraft: Falkland Islands

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate has been made of the cost of deploying Eurofighters to the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The cost of deploying Typhoon aircraft to the Falkland Islands was £1.56 million.
	A further £416,000 was allocated for one-off infrastructure costs at Mount Pleasant Permanent Joint Operating Base associated with the changeover from Tornado F3 to Typhoon. Additionally the cost of returning the Tornado F3 airframes to the UK was £800,000.
	Typhoon took over responsibility for the Falkland Islands Quick Reaction Alert ole in September 2009.

Military Aircraft

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft of each type there are in the RAF.

Bill Rammell: The numbers of aircraft in the Royal Air Force in-service fleet are provided in the following table. The figures show the service fleet position as of 31 December 2009. In service has been taken to mean the effective fleet, which covers all aircraft barring those which are redundant, declared as surplus or awaiting disposal.
	
		
			  Aircraft type  In service fleet 
			 BAe 146 2 
			 BAe 125 6 
			 C-17 6 
			 Dominie 9 
			 Harrier 74 i 
			 Hawk T1 129 
			 Hawk T2 17 
			 Hercules CI30K 14 
			 Hercules CI30J 24 
			 Nimrod MR2 11 
			 Nimrod R1 2 
			 Sea King (SARF) 25 
			 Sentinel 5 
			 Sentry 5 
			 Tornado F3 54 
			 Tornado GR4 137 
			 Tristar 9 
			 Tucano 93 
			 Typhoon 62 
			 VC10 15 
			 Vigilant 65 
			 Viking 82

Military Decorations

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider the merits of awarding a General Service Medal to British forces personnel who served in Oman prior to 1970.

Kevan Jones: Since the end of World War II, the Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals, known as the HD committee, has maintained a policy that it will not consider the belated institution of awards and medals for service given many years earlier. The Government consider it important to respect this policy, and therefore have no plans to consider the merits of instituting a General Service Medal for British forces personnel who served in Oman prior to 1970.

RAF Menwith Hill

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the space-based infrared system at RAF Menwith Hill to be operational.

Bill Rammell: The space based infra-red system (SBIRS) facilities at RAF Menwith Hill are ready for operation. The operational date for SBIRS is a matter for the United States, but is unlikely to be until later this year.

RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of external policing at  (a) RAF Menwith Hill and  (b) RAF Fylingdales in each year since 2001.

Bill Rammell: External policing at RAF Menwith Hill and RAF Fylingdales is primarily provided by the local constabulary, the North Yorkshire Police (NYP). At RAF Menwith Hill the Ministry of Defence Police (MDP) conduct joint patrols with the NYP. The MDP costs are met from the defence budget. It is common practice that police forces do not release specific information relating to ongoing police operations, to prevent the potential for operational compromise.

Submarines: Females

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on women serving as crew members of Her Majesty's submarines.

Bill Rammell: Women are excluded from serving in Royal Navy submarines because of the potential risk to an unborn foetus from contaminants in the submarines' atmosphere. The Royal Navy, however, continues to examine this position and the Institute of Naval Medicine is currently conducting medical research to determine the levels of risk in more detail. The results of this research will inform the next review of women serving in submarines, which will take place later this year.

Trident

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, with reference to the answer of 29 October 2009,  Official Report, column 502W, on Trident, whether the Defence Board has concluded its assessment of the work required during the concept phase of replacement of the Trident nuclear weapons system.

Bob Ainsworth: Progress on the concept phase for the future deterrent has been considered by the Defence Board. More time is required to ensure that we take decisions based on the most robust information. We are aiming to be in a position to make a statement on progress soon.

Trident Submarines

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the maintenance cost of the Vanguard class submarines in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) each of the next five years.

Quentin Davies: The estimated maintenance costs of Vanguard class submarines in 2009-10 and for each of the next five years, which cover fleet maintenance and capital spend incurred as part of the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) maintenance programme, are provided in the following table:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2009-10 118 
			 2010-11 139 
			 2011-12 131 
			 2012-13 128 
			 2013-14 165 
			 2014-15 136

Trident Submarines

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the maintenance cost for the Vanguard class submarine was in 2008-09.

Quentin Davies: The maintenance cost for the Vanguard class submarine in 2008-09 was £90 million. This figure includes fleet maintenance and capital spend incurred as part of the Long Overhaul Period (Refuel) maintenance programme.

Warships

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts have been signed in respect of the construction of new  (a) Royal Navy and  (b) Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels since May 1997.

Quentin Davies: Construction contracts for 15 surface ships and submarines have been signed since May 1997. Details are provided in the following table:
	
		
			   Type of vessel  Name of vessel 
			 2000 Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) Largs Bay 
			   Lyme Bay 
			
			 2000 Echo Class Survey Vessels Echo Enterprise 
			
			 2000(1) Type 45 Destroyer Daring 
			   Dauntless 
			   Diamond 
			   Dragon 
			   Defender 
			   Duncan 
			
			 2001 Landing Ship Dock (Auxiliary) Mounts Bay 
			   Cardigan Bay 
			
			 2007 Astute Class Submarine Audacious 
			
			 2008 Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers Queen Elizabeth 
			   Prince Of Wales 
			 (1 )The Type 45 contract was re-negotiated in 2007.

TRANSPORT

Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many domestic flights in the UK travelled  (a) 300 and  (b) 360 miles or less in each of the last three years; and how many such flights were lifeline flights.

Paul Clark: holding answer 21 January 2010
	The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) Table 1 shows the number of domestic flights that departed from a UK reporting airport and travelled 300 miles or less in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Number of flight departures 
			 2006 291,965 
			 2007 287,939 
			 2008 275,926 
		
	
	 (b) Table 2 below shows the number of domestic flights that departed from a UK reporting airport and travelled 360 miles or less in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Number of flight departures 
			 2006 400,758 
			 2007 394,971 
			 2008 381,772 
		
	
	Table 3 shows the number of lifeline flights that departed from a UK reporting airport (Glasgow, Barra, Campletown, Tiree, Stornoway, Benbecula, Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Tingwall and Cardiff) in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   Number of lifeline flight departures 
			 2006 6,352 
			 2007 6,961 
			 2008 7,138 
			  Notes:  1. Flights by passenger aircraft only.  2. Based on data from 58 reporting airports, including flights from the Isle of Man and Channel Island airports.  3. Lifeline flights are those routes with Public Service Obligations (PSOs) imposed by the UK published by the Civil Aviation Authority in CAP 775: Air Services at UK Regional Airports-An Update on Developments.   Source:  Based on data supplied to DfT by the Civil Aviation Authority.

Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many flights to  (a) domestic destinations,  (b) destinations in near Europe and  (c) other international destinations departed from UK airports in each of the last three years; and how many of these were domestic lifeline flights.

Paul Clark: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) Table 1 shows the number of flights to domestic destinations that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Number of domestic flight departures 
			 2006 434,454 
			 2007 428,643 
			 2008 415,190 
		
	
	 (b) Table 2 shows the number of flights to destinations in the European Union that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Number of flight departures to EU destinations 
			 2006 529,067 
			 2007 546,617 
			 2008 534,359 
		
	
	 (c) Table 3 shows the number of flights to other international destinations (outside of the EU) that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   Number of flight departures to other international destinations 
			 2006 198,306 
			 2007 205,271 
			 2008 206,502 
		
	
	Table 4 shows the number of domestic lifeline flights that departed from a UK reporting airport (Glasgow, Barra, Campletown, Tiree, Stornoway, Benbecula, Kirkwall, Sumburgh, Tingwall and Cardiff) in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 4 
			   Number of lifeline flight departures 
			 2006 6,352 
			 2007 6,961 
			 2008 7,138 
			  Notes: 1. Flights by passenger aircraft only. 2. Based on data from 58 reporting airports, including flights from the Isle of Man and Channel Island airports. 3. Flights to oil rigs are included in other international destinations. 4. Lifeline flights are those routes with public service obligations (PSOs) imposed by the UK published by the Civil Aviation Authority in 'CAP 775: Air Services at UK Regional Airports-An Update on Developments'.  Source: Based on data supplied to DFT by the Civil Aviation Authority

Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the average distance travelled by  (a) domestic excluding lifeline,  (b) near Europe and  (c) other international flights departing from UK airports was in each of the last three years.

Paul Clark: The information requested is as follows.
	 (a) Table 1 shows the average distance travelled by domestic excluding lifeline flights that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 1 
			   Average distance (km) 
			 2006 372 
			 2007 371 
			 2008 371 
		
	
	 (b) Table 2 shows the average distance travelled by European Union flights that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 2 
			   Average distance (km) 
			 2006 1,134 
			 2007 1,140 
			 2008 1,149 
		
	
	 (c) Table 3 shows the average distance travelled by other international flights (outside of the EU) that departed from a UK reporting airport in 2006, 2007 and 2008.
	
		
			  Table 3 
			   Average distance (km) 
			 2006 4,319 
			 2007 4,324 
			 2008 4,285 
			  Notes: 1. Flights by passenger aircraft only. 2. Based on data from 58 reporting airports, including flights from the Isle of Man and Channel Island airports. 3. Flights to oil rigs are included in other international destinations.  Source: Based on data supplied to DFT by the Civil Aviation Authority

Aviation

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the maximum permitted take-off weight for planes departing from UK airports is, broken down by type of plane.

Paul Clark: The information requested has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Bus Services: Bankruptcy

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many bus companies have  (a) become bankrupt,  (b) gone into liquidation,  (c) ceased trading for other reasons and  (d) started up in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the smallest geographical area for which data are available.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport does not hold this information.

Bus Services: Working Hours

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will extend the relaxation of enforcement of EU rules on drivers' hours in the Scottish Highlands and Islands to the week beginning 25 January 2010; and when he plans to make an announcement on future relaxations.

Paul Clark: The only relaxation to the enforcement of the EU drivers' hours rules that remains in place is for the transportation of heating oil, gas oil, and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). This was extended until 23:59 hours on 25 January to cover the cold/extreme weather and enable a backlog in deliveries to be reduced.
	Following requests from industry, the decision was made on 25 January to extend the relaxation of the EU drivers' hours rules for the transportation of LPG only for a further week, until 23.59 on 1 February 2010. There are no relaxations for drivers' hours in other sectors. The Department for Transport is keeping the temporary arrangements under review, in consultation with the Department of Energy and Climate Change and the Scottish Executive.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many iPods have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport and its agencies have bought 23 iPods since 2005, all of them in 2009. Of these, 21 were bought at a cost of £1,650 by DFT (central), for use as prizes in an anti-drink drive radio campaign. They were provided to 21 radio stations across the country who agreed to run quizzes on the theme of the consequences of drink driving as part of a Think! road safety campaign. The other two, at a cost of £75, were bought by the Highways Agency as prizes for staff campaigns committed to environmental sustainability.

Departmental Waste

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what volume of waste his Department generated in each of the last three years; what percentage of this was  (a) paper,  (b) plastic,  (c) glass,  (d) metal,  (e) electrical goods and batteries and  (f) food waste; and what percentage of his Department's waste was (i) disposed of securely, (ii) disposed of in landfill and (iii) recycled.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport, including its agencies, has reported the following waste figures for the last three years as part of its Sustainability on the Government Estate (SOGE) return.
	
		
			   Total waste (Tonnes)  Paper (Percentage of total waste)  Plastics (Percentage of total)  Glass (Percentage of total waste)  Metal (Percentage of total waste)  Electrical (Percentage of total waste)  Food (Percentage of total waste) 
			 2006-07 3,878 32.03 0.34 0.13 0.41 0.10 n/k 
			 2007-08 3,711 33.63 0.51 0.57 0.49 0.24 n/k 
			 2008-09 4,756 23.04 0.65 1.01 0.06 0.38 n/k 
		
	
	
		
			Percentage of total waste 
			   Total waste (Tonnes)  Secure disposal  Landfill  Recycled 
			 2006-07 3,878 6.28 38.62 57.09 
			 2007-08 3,711 3.00 37.31 56.28 
			 2008-09 4,756 2.91 49.45 45.89 
		
	
	It should be noted that the secure disposal percentage figure is repeated within the recycled percentage.

Highways Agency: Contracts

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what steps the Highways Agency is taking to ensure that contractors have direct incentives to minimise whole life costs.

Chris Mole: In the procurement of road construction and maintenance, the Highways Agency awards the contract to the tender that represents best value for money in terms of quality and cost. Highways Agency contractors are also required to develop proposals for renewal maintenance schemes using the agency's continuous value management process, which incorporates whole life cost tools. Whole life cost optimisation tools also support the setting of the national maintenance budgets.

Lorries

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of heavy goods vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes registered in  (a) the UK and  (b) abroad which use (i) motorways and (ii) dual carriageways.

Paul Clark: The Department for Transport does not hold data on the percentage of heavy goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes that use motorways or dual carriageways.

Motor Vehicles: Registration

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many vehicles of each type there are registered in the UK.

Paul Clark: The following table gives the total number of vehicles by body type licensed in the UK at 31 December 2008.
	
		
			   Number (Thousand) 
			 Cars 29,235.5 
			 Motor cycles 1,322.1 
			 Light goods 3,329.5 
			 Heavy goods 543.8 
			 Buses and coaches 186.0 
			 Other vehicles 613.9 
			 Total 35,230.8 
		
	
	More recent data on vehicles licensed in Great Britain are published each quarter at:
	www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/statistics/datatablespublications/vehicles/
	Data on vehicles licensed in Northern Ireland are published annually at:
	www.drdni.gov.uk/index/statistics/stats-catagories/ni_ transport_statistics.htm

Parking Offences: Closed Circuit Television

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which local authorities use CCTV cameras for parking enforcement.

Sadiq Khan: To date, the following authorities have had CCTV systems certified for civil parking enforcement use.
	
		
			  Applicant  Certification g ranted 
			 Medway Council 4 June 2008 
			 Nottingham City Council 12 June 2008 
			 London Borough of Hounslow 13 August 2008 
			 London Borough of Redbridge 4 September 2008 
			 London Borough of Ealing 11 September 2008 
			 London Borough of Lambeth 21 January 2009 
			 London Borough of Islington 21 January 2009 
			 London Borough of Lewisham 20 February 2009 
			 Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council 23 February 2009 
			 London Borough of Havering 26 February 2009 
			 London Borough of Harrow 16 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Richmond upon Thames 20 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Hillingdon 20 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Croydon 20 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Haringey 27 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Newham 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Hackney 30 March 2009 
			 Transport for London 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Camden 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Bromley 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Bexley 30 March 2009 
			 City of London 30 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Southwark 31 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Waltham Forest 31 March 2009 
			 London Borough of Tower Hamlets 3 April 2009 
			 London Borough of Barking and Dagenham 6 April 2009 
			 London Borough of Enfield 6 April 2009 
			 London Borough of Wandsworth 14 April 2009 
			 South Tyneside Council 18 May 2009 
			 Bournemouth Borough Council 9 June 2009 
			 Basildon District Council 7 July 2009 
			 Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council 21 September 2009 
			 Bristol City Council 20 November 2009 
			 Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames 14 January 2010 
			 London Borough of Sutton 15 January 2010

Parliamentary Questions: Administrative Delays

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport when he plans to answer question 300566, on departmental pay, tabled on 18 November 2009.

Chris Mole: A reply was given to the hon. Member on 21 January 2010,  Official Report, column 418W.

Railways: Bankruptcy

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many train companies have  (a) become bankrupt,  (b) gone into liquidation,  (c) ceased trading for other reasons and  (d) started up in each of the last 10 years, broken down by the lowest geographical area for which data are available.

Chris Mole: The Department for Transport does not keep a record of how many train companies have  (a) become bankrupt,  (b) gone into liquidation, or  (c) ceased trading. This information may be sourced through Companies House. The decision to cease trading is a commercial decision made by train companies.
	With regard to the number of train companies which have started up in each of the last 10 years, this is a matter for the independent Office of Rail Regulation who can be contacted at:
	Office of Rail Regulation
	One Kemble Street
	London
	WC2B 4AN
	The Office of Rail Regulation provides all train operators on the United Kingdom rail network with operating licences.

Railways: Finance

Mike Wood: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether the review of value for money for the railways announced in the pre-Budget report will be used to assist in deciding overall funding for the railways for the control period 2014-19.

Chris Mole: The value for money review will constitute one of the pieces of evidence that will be used in deciding funding for the railways for control period 5 (2014-19).

Railways: Snow and Ice

David Evennett: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport if he will direct train operating companies to offer discounts on season tickets for commuters affected by reduced services in severe weather conditions.

Chris Mole: Passengers' entitlement to compensation is set out in Passenger's Charters, which we require each Train Operating Company (TOC) to have as part of its franchise. Where TOCs have introduced emergency timetables, including service reductions, as has been the case with many TOCs during the recent severe weather, compensation entitlements are based on the emergency timetable. TOCs may choose to go beyond these entitlements at their discretion.

Road Traffic

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what estimate he has made of the cost to the economy of road congestion in the next  (a) five,  (b) 10,  (c) 25 and  (d) 50 years.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport generally estimates changes in congestion between future scenarios to calculate the benefits of potential transport interventions. However, it has also used analysis from the National Transport Model to estimate what the change in the cost of congestion is likely to be between a base year and a future year.
	The 2006 Eddington study estimated that the increase in time lost in England due to road congestion between 2003 and 2025 for all travellers including business and freight would be worth £23 to £24 billion in 2025 (2002 prices). The Eddington study is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/about/strategy/transportstrategy/eddingtonstudy/
	No such assessment for 2015, 2020, 2035, or 2060 is available.
	The latest forecasts of congestion are available in Road Traffic Forecasts 2008: Results from the Department for Transport's National Transport Model, which is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/economics/ntm/roadtransportforcasts08/rtf08.pdf

Roads: Accidents

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport which 50 stretches of road have the highest rates of  (a) accidents and  (b) fatal accidents; and how many (a) accidents and (b) fatal accidents have taken place on each of these stretches in each of the last 10 years.

Paul Clark: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, Eurorap have carried out some work in this area where the most dangerous motorways and A roads in GB are identified. The report can be downloaded at:
	http://www.eurorap.org/lib_search?search=YType=nat

Roads: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what the percentage year-on-year change in the number of  (a) deaths and  (b) serious injury as a result of road accidents has been in Birmingham in each of the last three years.

Paul Clark: The information requested is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Reported killed and seriously injured casualties in road accidents in Birmingham, and percentage change from previous year: 2006-08 
			   Number  Percentage change 
			   Killed  Severely injured  Killed  Severely injured 
			 2006 49 441 44 -9 
			 2007 24 490 -51 11 
			 2008 29 401 21 -18

Roads: Repairs and Maintenance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what guidance has been issued to local authorities on the technical aspects of repairing potholes in roads.

Sadiq Khan: It is for each local highway authority to determine how to discharge its duty to maintain the highways in its charge. The Department for Transport does not issue technical engineering guidance to local authorities on highways maintenance matters.

Roads: Safety

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what local transport notes have been provided to local highways authorities on the use of guard railing in residential streets.

Sadiq Khan: Local Transport Note 2/09 Pedestrian Guardrailing was issued by the Department for Transport in April 2009. It can be found at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/tpm/ltnotes/ltn209pedestrian.pdf

Roads: Snow and Ice

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport whether there are mechanisms in place to compensate local authorities in circumstances in which companies contracted by them to provide salt have not fulfilled their contractual obligations as a result of the intervention of the Salt Cell.

Sadiq Khan: This is a matter for salt suppliers and their customers. The Salt Cell has been established only to advise salt suppliers which areas of the nation's road network have the greatest need for salt.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport 
	(1)  whether he has received recent representations on  (a) damage to roads in Wirral caused by ice and  (b) (i) main roads and (ii) side roads in Wirral which have not yet been cleared of snow;
	(2)  whether he has received recent representations on the damage caused to pavements on  (a) main and  (b) side roads in Wirral caused by ice and snow.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport has not received any representations relating to local roads or pavements in Wirral, since the start of 2010, on  (a) damage caused by ice and  (b) main and side roads which have not yet been cleared of snow.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Anne Milton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how frequently the Government's Salt Cell meets during periods of extreme weather; how many times it has met since 19 December; and how frequently it plans to meet in 2011.

Sadiq Khan: The Salt Cell usually meets twice a week, although it will meet more or less frequently as the situation demands. In response to the current severe weather, the Salt Cell was convened on 6 January and has since met four times. The frequency of Salt Cell meetings in 2011 will be determined by the need for meetings, which will in turn be determined by the circumstances.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what changes have been made to the requirements on local highways authorities to clear  (a) roads and  (b) pavements of snow and ice since 1997.

Sadiq Khan: Local highways authorities have a duty, under s41 of the Highways Act 1980 to maintain the highways in their charge, including footways. This duty had long been held to include keeping the highway serviceable in winter. However, in 2000 the House of Lords, in Goodes v . East Sussex CC ruled that the duty did not include an absolute requirement to clear snow and ice. The insertion in the 1980 Act, in 2003, of s41(1A) to specify that
	a highway authority are under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice
	established the present position.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport with reference to the contribution of Lord Davies of Oldham of 2 February 2004,  Official Report, House of Lords, column 444, on footpaths and roads: de-icing, what guidance his Department has given to local authorities on  (a) the personal liability of householders who seek to clear the pavement or highway of ice or snow and  (b) whether local authorities should seek to discourage householders from clearing highways.

Sadiq Khan: The Department for Transport has given no guidance to local authorities on either matter.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport how many requests the Highways Agency has received from Royal Mail to clear the roads  (a) in Wirral, South constituency and  (b) elsewhere in the last two months.

Chris Mole: The Highways Agency is responsible only for the strategic road network (i.e. motorways and trunk roads) and has not received any requests from Royal Mail to clear the roads in either Wirral, South constituency or elsewhere on its network in the last two months.

SS Richard Montgomery

Derek Wyatt: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what recent reports he has received of fires appearing above the SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames Estuary; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Clark: The wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery is kept under 24-hour surveillance by Medway Ports, under contract to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. No such fires have been observed or reported.

Transport: Infrastructure

Norman Baker: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Transport what scenarios have been run under the National Transport Model in the last five years.

Sadiq Khan: The National Transport Model (NTM) has been used to analyse scenarios with varying assumptions about: GDP growth, oil prices, fuel prices, population, vehicle fuel efficiency and several forms of transport policies and investment.
	The latest forecasts from the NTM under several scenarios are available in Road Traffic Forecasts 2008: Results from the Department for Transport's National Transport Model, which is available at:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/economics/ntm/road transportforcasts08/rtf08.pdf

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

14 Tothill Street

Michael Fabricant: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 14 January 2010,  Official Report, column 1065W, on 14 Tothill Street, what consideration the House of Commons Commission gave to siting the proposed nursery in the premises leased by the House of Commons at vacant space available at  (a) 14 Tothill Street and  (b) Number 4 Millbank leased by the House of Commons.

Nick Harvey: 14 Tothill street and 4 Millbank, both of which are to be used as accommodation for House staff, were considered to be too far from the Palace to be sufficiently practical as the site of the nursery. In addition neither building allows a safe drop-off area which would lead to the children being exposed to higher risk from traffic incidents.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Internet: Expenditure

Grant Shapps: To ask the Leader of the House how much was spent on  (a) strategy and planning,  (b) design and build,  (c) hosting and infrastructure,  (d) content provision and  (e) testing and evaluation for the Leader of the House's website in each of the last three years; and how much has been allocated for each such category of expenditure in 2009-10.

Barbara Keeley: The Office of the Leader of the House joined the Cabinet Office in 2007. Information prior to 2007 and for the full 2007-08 financial year can therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	During the 2008-09 financial year, £24,155.39 was spent on the design and build of the Leader of the House of Commons website. £18,625 was spent on hosting and infrastructure. £1,170.79 was spent on content provision. No costs were incurred for the testing and evaluation and strategy and planning of the website.
	The amounts include total external costs and do not include internal staff costs. Figures for the 2009-10 financial year will be available only when the Department's resource accounts have been fully audited and laid before Parliament. The position of the office website continues to be reviewed.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Advertising Standards Authority

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects Ofcom to designate the Advertising Standards Authority as the regulator for video on demand advertising under the Audiovisual Media Services Regulations 2009.

Si�n Simon: The information requested is not held by my Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of Ofcom.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive to write direct to the hon. Member for South West Surrey.
	Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Archaeological Sites

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many sites and monuments are in the guardianship of local authorities under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979;
	(2)  which sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State are covered by local management agreements with local authorities.

Margaret Hodge: There are 32 sites and monuments in the guardianship of the Secretary of State that are covered by local management agreements with local authorities. Details of these sites by region have been supplied by English Heritage and are provided in the table:
	
		
			  Site  Partner 
			  North West Region  
			 Chester Amphitheatre Cheshire West and Chester Council 
			 Chester Castle Cheshire West and Chester Council 
			   
			  North East Region  
			 Gisborough Priory Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council 
			   
			  South West Region  
			 Belas Knap Long Barrow Gloucestershire County Council 
			 Notgrove Long Barrow Gloucestershire County Council 
			 Nympsfield Long Barrow Gloucestershire County Council 
			 Rodmarton Long Barrow Gloucestershire County Council 
			 Uley Long Barrow Gloucestershire County Council 
			   
			  South East  
			 Calshot Castle Hampshire County Council 
			 Rochester Castle Medway Council 
			 Upnor Castle Medway Council 
			 Temple Manor Medway Council 
			 Milton Chantry Gravesham Borough Council 
			 Camber Castle East Sussex County Council together with Rye Harbour Nature Board 
			 Reculver Roman Fort and Towers Canterbury City Council 
			   
			  East of England  
			 Blue Bottle Grove Colchester Borough Council 
			 St. Botolph's Priory Colchester Borough Council 
			 St. John's Abbey gate Colchester Borough Council 
			 Lexden Straight Rd Colchester Borough Council 
			 Bury St Edmunds Abbey St. Edmundsbury Borough Council 
			 Caister Great Yarmouth Borough Council 
			 Duxford South Cambridgeshire District Council 
			 Norwich Cow Tower Norwich City Council 
			 Thetford Priory Thetford Town Council 
			 Waltham Abbey Lee Valley Regional Park 
			   
			  East Midlands  
			 Arbor Low Peak Park Authority 
			 Nine Ladies Peak Park Authority 
			 Hob Hurst's House Peak Park Authority 
			 Eyam Moor Peak Park Authority 
			 Chichele College East Northants District Council 
			 Gainsborough Old Hall Lincolnshire County Council 
			 Rufford Abbey Nottinghamshire County Council 
		
	
	The information requested on sites and monuments in the guardianship of local authorities under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 is not held centrally but held at local level by individual local authorities.

Compulsory Purchase: Archaeological Sites

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many times compulsory purchase powers under  (a) the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 and  (b) other legislation to protect sites and monuments of national importance have been used by local authorities in the last 10 years; what sites have been so purchased; and on what dates.

Margaret Hodge: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 does not give local planning authorities compulsory purchase powers.
	 (b) Under the 1990 Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act, if it appears to the Secretary of State that reasonable steps are not being taken to properly preserve a listed building, he may authorise the appropriate authority to acquire compulsorily the building and any relevant land, or may himself compulsorily acquire them, although this is a reserve power used only in the case of nationally significant buildings.
	There are a number of routes by which local authorities may acquire heritage buildings through compulsory purchase Order, the 1990 Act being only one. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not hold comprehensive information on all compulsory purchase powers enjoyed by local authorities for the purpose of protecting sites and monuments of national importance.

Culture: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding he plans to allocate to the  (a) British Film Institute National Film Centre,  (b) British Museum World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre,  (c) British Library newspaper archive and  (d) new Stonehenge Visitors' Centre in each of the next five years.

Si�n Simon: The Department has allocated £45 million to the British Film Institute National Film Centre, £22.5 million to the British Museum World Conservation and Exhibitions Centre, £33 million to the British Library newspaper archive and £10 million for the new Stonehenge Visitors' Centre. The Department is discussing the funding profile for these projects with the bodies concerned.

Departmental Carbon Emissions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies plans to sign up to the 10:10 campaign to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 10 per cent. in 2010.

Si�n Simon: The Department and its agency The Royal Parks have not committed to make this reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. They are already exceeding the Government targets to reduce carbon emissions from offices by 12.5 per cent. by 2010-11, relative to 1999-2000 levels; and to reduce carbon emissions from road vehicles used for Government administrative operations by 15 per cent. by 2010-11, relative to 2005-06 levels.

Departmental Pay

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department in each year since 2003.

Si�n Simon: An element of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport's (DCMS) overall pay award is allocated to non-consolidated variable pay related to performance. These payments are used to drive high performance and form part of the pay award for members of staff who demonstrate exceptional performance, for example by exceeding targets set or meeting challenging objectives.
	Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls, and have to be re-earned each year against pre-determined targets and, as such, do not add to future pay bill costs. The percentage of the pay bill set aside for performance-related awards for the SCS is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body.
	The Department makes non-consolidated performance payments to its employees for two purposes: (a) in-year non-consolidated performance payments to reward outstanding contributions in particularly demanding tasks or situations; and (b) year-end non-consolidated performance payments to reward highly successful performance over a whole year. In both cases they support and help drive high performance.
	These figures are exclusive of two key senior staff in the Government Olympic Executive, who were appointed on fixed-term contracts ending in 2012 and whose remuneration reflects extensive relevant experience and the unique challenge of delivering the Olympics to a fixed deadline. Details of the remuneration of two key senior staff were published in the departmental Annual Reports and Accounts 2009.
	Details of the non-consolidated performance payments paid to departmental employees are set out in the table.
	
		
			  Performance year  Total number of awards  Value of non-consolidated performance payments (£)  Wages and salaries (£)  Non-consolidated performance payments as percentage of wages and salaries (percentage) 
			 2003-04 215 206,403 18,681,000 1.10 
			 2004-05 172 215,285 19,487,000 1.10 
			 2005-06 240 293,241 22,191,000 1.32 
			 2006-07 245 392,114 25,243,000 1.55 
			 2007-08 379 520,713 26,047,000 2.00 
			 2008-09 397 517,167 25,327,000 2.04 
			  Note: The wages and salaries for each financial year is taken from Department's annual resource accounts

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last two years.

Si�n Simon: In 2007-08 the Department spent £83,705 on new furnishings and £0 on new vehicles.
	In 2008-09 the Department spent £70,273 on new furnishings and £0 on new vehicles.
	The Government Art Collection (GAC), which is managed by the DCMS, spent £414,542 in 2007-08 and £564,256 in 2008-09 on acquiring works of art for display in UK Government offices and our embassies and Government properties overseas, using funds directly from GAC and other sources of funding.

Digital Broadcasting: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of local commercial radio stations in Scotland without a digital migration pathway.

Si�n Simon: No specific estimate has been made of the number of local stations which may remain on FM after the digital radio switchover.

Gambling: Internet

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what mechanisms are in place to regulate the use of credit card payments to make bets through gambling websites.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Online gambling operators licensed in Great Britain are required to verify age, allow individuals to set financial limits or self-exclude, and intervene where there are signs of problem gambling regardless of the payment method used.

Licensed Premises: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many licensed premises there were per 1,000 of population in Birmingham in each of the last three years.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Alcohol, Entertainment and Late Night Refreshment Licensing Statistical Bulletin, under the provisions of the Licensing Act 2003, collects the number of premises licences and club premises certificates.
	The following table shows the number of licensed premises per 1,000 of the population of Birmingham as at 31 March 2007, 2008 and 2009.
	
		
			   Premises licences and club premises certificates per 1,000 population 
			 2007 2.9 
			 2008 2.8 
			 2009 2.8 
		
	
	The number of licences in 2007 has been adjusted by mid-2007 population estimates (produced by the Office for National Statistics), the number of licences in 2008 and 2009 have both been adjusted by mid-2008 population estimates (latest available estimates).

Listed Buildings: Conservation

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the English Heritage at Risk register will next be updated.

Margaret Hodge: English Heritage advise that their 2010 Heritage at Risk register will be published on 1 July 2010.

Museums and Galleries: Educational Visits

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what free educational schemes his Department operates in national museums and galleries.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 21 January 2010
	The Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Children, Schools and Families jointly fund the 'Strategic Commissioning' programme. This programme provides funding for national museums to develop free educational and community programmes.
	The programme was established in 2003 and exists to support the formal and informal learning of children, young people and adults through the more effective use of museums and galleries. By 2011, this programme will have seen £32 million of investment.
	By 2011, £15.3 million of this investment will have gone towards enabling 11 national museums and their regional partners, plus the British Library, to develop free museum-based educational programmes for school- age children and local communities. Over 300,000 school children have benefited from this programme to date.

Royal Parks Agency: Taxation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much accrued to the Royal Parks Agency from the encroachment rate payable in Bushy Park in each of the last 10 years; when the rate was first levied; what rate was charged in each of the last 10 years; how many dwellings and hereditaments are liable for the rate; and whether the rate is classified as a tax by the Office for National Statistics.

Margaret Hodge: The Royal Parks (TRP) advise that there are currently 45 commercial, 84 residential, and 17 utility encroachment licenses recorded for Bushy Park. TRP advise that they have accrued the following encroachment income over the past 10 years:
	
		
			  Financial year  Income( 1)  (£) 
			 1999-2000 34,916 
			 2000-01 104,282 
			 2001-02 49,748 
			 2002-03 117,672 
			 2003-04 73,116 
			 2004-05 67,003 
			 2005-06 75,923 
			 2006-07 64,765 
			 2007-08 90,937 
			 2008-09 64,583 
			 (1) These figures exclude British Telecom encroachments which are licensed under a Master Agreement covering all parks. 
		
	
	The procedure for licensing encroachments has been in operation since prior to the turn of the previous century, and the licence fee is for the use and occupation of Bushy Park land. The level of fee is assessed individually to reflect the extent of the encroachment on park land.
	The licence fee is not classified as a tax by the Office for National Statistics.

Royal Parks: Parking

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department spent on the research project by Peter Brett Associates on the effects of car parking charges in Richmond and Bushy Parks.

Margaret Hodge: The Royal Parks advise that the report, by traffic consultants Peter Brett Associates, cost £7090.60.

Sports: National Lottery

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Big Lottery Fund has given to sport-related activities in 2008-09.

Si�n Simon: The information requested is not held by my Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of the Big Lottery Fund.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of the Big Lottery Fund to write direct to the hon. Member for Faversham and Mid-Kent.
	Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Swimming: Lincolnshire

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has provided to local authorities in  (a) North East Lincolnshire and  (b) North Lincolnshire to meet the costs of free swimming lessons for (i) pensioners and (ii) young people since April 2009.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Free Swimming Programme is funded to provide 100,000 free swimming lessons. Local authorities are required to apply to the Amateur Swimming Association for funding for the delivery of free swimming lessons in their areas.
	North East Lincolnshire Unitary Authority applied for funding for free swimming lessons for the elderly and young people and received a total of £2,300.

Television: Licensing

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many convictions there have been of residents of Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency for non-payment of a television licence in the last three years.

Si�n Simon: The number of defendants found guilty of television licence evasion across the West Midlands police force area from 2005 to 2007 has been provided by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and is given in the table:
	
		
			   2005( 1)  2006( 1)  2007( 2) 
			 West Midlands 10,513 10,024 10,950 
			 (1)As well as television licence evasion, these data include proceedings for summary offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to 1967.  (2)These figures relate to the offence of television licence evasion under the Communications Act 2003.   Note:  1. The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	Data regarding court proceedings are not available at parliamentary constituency level. Therefore data have been given in the table for the West Midlands police force area.
	The MoJ advise that data regarding court proceedings for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.

Television: Licensing

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people in  (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and  (b) the London borough of Bexley have been prosecuted for not having a television licence in the last three years for which figures are available.

Si�n Simon: The number of people proceeded against at magistrates courts for television licence evasion in the Metropolitan police force area from 2005 to 2007 has been provided by the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) and is given in the table(1, 2.)
	(1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.
	(2 )Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.
	
		
			  Metropolitan police force area 
			   Number of people proceeded against 
			 2005(1) 23,508 
			 2006(1) 19,217 
			 2007(2) 22,766 
			 (1 )As well as television licence evasion, these data include proceedings for summary offences under the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to 1967. (2 )These figures relate to the offence of television licence evasion under the Communications Act 2003.  Source: Justice Analytical Services-MoJ Ref: IOS030-10) 
		
	
	Data regarding court proceedings are not available at parliamentary constituency level. Therefore data have been given in the table for the Metropolitan police force area.
	The MoJ advise that data regarding court proceedings for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.

Tourism: Torbay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding has been made available for tourism regeneration projects in Torbay constituency in the last five years.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is not held by my Department and relates to matters that are the responsibility of the South West Regional Development Agency (RDA), which leads on regional regeneration and development work.
	Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of the South West RDA to write directly to the hon. Member for Torbay.
	Copies of the reply will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Visits Abroad: Olympic Games

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff from each of his Department's non-departmental public bodies are planning to attend the Winter Olympics in Vancouver; and at what cost for each such body.

Gerry Sutcliffe: To provide the information requested from all of our non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) would incur disproportionate cost. We have, however, been advised by the following NDPBs that they are planning to send staff to the Winter Olympics in Vancouver at the following costs:
	
		
			  Public body  Number of staff members  Cost for each body (£) 
			 UK Sport 3 21,824.84 
			 UK Anti Doping in Sport 2 (1)- 
			 VisitBritain 3 (2)7,500.00 
			 Olympic Delivery Authority 2 7,726.90 
			 Arts Council England 1 735.00 
			 (1)All costs covered by the World Anti Doping Agency.  (2 )Estimated. 
		
	
	UK Sport has advised that three members of its organisation will be attending the Winter Olympics in Vancouver at a cost of £21,824.84.
	UK Anti Doping (UKAD) has advised that it will be sending two representatives; one as part of the World Anti Doping Agency's (WADA) Independent Observer programme, and one as part of WADA's Athlete Outreach programme. All costs for UKAD will be covered by WADA.
	The Olympic Delivery Authority has advised that two members of staff are on the observer programme for the Games in Vancouver. The cost for accommodation and travel comes to £7,726.90.
	VisitBritain advises that three members of staff will be attending Vancouver as part of observer programme at an estimated cost of £2,500 per person.
	Arts Council England (ACE) has advised that it is sending one member of staff to Vancouver at a cost of £735.00 for the flight. The staff member will also be representing other bodies at the Games. These bodies will cover the remaining costs of the trip.

HEALTH

Accidents: Snow and Ice

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people injured in accidents attributable to adverse weather conditions in January 2010; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the national health service of treating such people in  (a) Leicester and  (b) the East Midlands.

Mike O'Brien: This is a matter for the local national health service. The NHS, as part of its planning process, ensures operational challenges such as adverse weather are factored into local contingency plans, including the cost of treating patients.

Ambulance Services: Snow and Ice

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people transported to hospital by helicopter in preference to transport by ambulance in December 2009 and January 2010 in circumstances attributable to severe weather conditions.

Mike O'Brien: None. The information requested is not collected centrally.

Carers

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of the level of support it provides to carers.

Phil Hope: In 2007, the Standing Commission on Carers (SCOC) was established as an independent body to provide expert advice to Ministers and the Carers Strategy Cross-Government Programme Board on the progress in delivering the Carers Strategy.
	SCOC published its first annual report, 'Carers at the heart of 21(st) century families and communities-work in progress', on 23 October 2009. The report highlights progress made against the main themes of the Carers Strategy. It contains a number of recommendations for the Government and local delivery partners.
	Direct support that the Department provides to carers includes funding the Carers Direct helpline and website and the Caring with Confidence training programme for carers.

Carers: Chesterfield

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people resident in Chesterfield constituency  (a) under 18 and  (b) over 60 years old were registered as carers in each of the last five years.

Phil Hope: Carers may register with a range of organisations for different purposes-there is no single register as such.
	The NHS Information Centre for health and social care does not collect the number of registered carers; nor are local or national data on the number of children under the age of 18 years with caring responsibilities collected centrally.

Dementia: Health Services

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support for dementia  (a) patients and  (b) their carers is being provided from the additional funding awarded to NHS Cumbria through the National Dementia Strategy.

Phil Hope: The Department has allocated funding to NHS Cumbria through the National Dementia Strategy. This money is not ring-fenced and spending is not monitored centrally. It is for NHS Cumbria to determine how to use the money allocated to them according to local needs and priorities.
	The Department is currently commissioning a national baseline audit of service and financial provision (a commitment given in the National Dementia Strategy) to benchmark the current position and enable us monitor and measure progress on implementation of the strategy.

Departmental Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in each of the last five years for which information is available; what proportion of the total workforce they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Non-consolidated performance payments are an integral part of the Department's reward strategy for all its staff. They have to be re-earned each year and do not add to future paybill costs. These payments are used to reward outstanding performance and behaviours in delivering the Department's agenda. These payments have increased over the five-year period as a result of the increasing emphasis on these payments through the Department's reward strategy.
	Non-consolidated variable pay awards are funded from within existing pay bill controls and have to be re-earned each year. They do not add to future pay bill costs. In the case of the senior civil service (SCS), the percentage of pay bill set aside for performance-related awards is based on recommendations from the independent Senior Salaries Review Body. For staff at Administrative Officer to Grade 6, the percentage of pay bill set aside was determined by a three-year pay settlement introduced in 2008-09.
	The following table shows, for the Department, how many people were eligible for (estimated at year end) and received a non-consolidated variable pay award and the total and maximum payments for the awards, by civil service band, awarded under the Department's standard pay and performance management processes for the last five years of published accounts. The tables include in-year and end-year performance payments but not non-consolidated payments made as part of a pay award to those at or near the maxima of their pay scales.
	The information requested is presented in the table.
	
		
			   2008-09( 1)  2007-08( 1)  2006-07( 1)  2005-06( 1)  2004-05( 1) 
			  Grade sector  SCS  Non-SCS  SCS  Non-SCS  SCS  Non-SCS  SCS  Non-SCS  SCS  Non-SCS 
			 Total number of staff receiving non-consolidated performance pay 214 924 176 433 175 241 181 388 143 528 
			 Headcount(2) 260 1,985 247 1,987 261 2,069 (3)- (3)- (3)- (3)- 
			 Percentage of staff receiving non-consolidated performance pay (%) 82 47 71 22 67 12 (3)- (3)- (3)- (3)- 
			 Total spend on non-consolidated performance pay (£) 1,780,785 773,134 1,556,945 383,775 1,161,823 238,226 961,843 275,429 734,599 328,647 
			 Percentage of base pay set aside for end year non-consolidated performance pay (%) 8.6 0.15 7.6 (4)n/a 6.5 (4)n/a 5.0 (4)n/a 4.0 (4)n/a 
			 Largest single payment (£) (5)26,775 12,000 (5)22,750 9,000 30,699 9,000 30,000 6,000 22,500 5,000 
			 Average (median) payment (£) 5,662 700 8,927 661 7,927 500 4,055 450 3,586 500 
			 (1)The table includes both in-year and end-year non-consolidated performance payments. End-year payments are in respect of performance in the previous year, i.e. end-year payments made in 2008-09 relate to performance year 2007-08 etc.  (2)The number of eligible staff will be slightly underestimated as there are a number of staff with unknown grades on the Department's Human Resources Information System. The headcount figures are all taken at the end of the financial year. The percentages given are calculated on these headcount figures.  (3)Figures are not available for headcount broken down by SCS/non-SCS except at disproportionate cost.  (4)n/a: Category not applicable because non-consolidated performance related pay was not introduced for these grades until 2008-09.  (5)In addition, an individual employed on a SCS non-standard form of contract, which links a higher than normal percentage of their pay to performance, received total non-consolidated payments of £27,500 in 2007-08 and £49,004 in 2008-09.

Departmental Pay

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many officials in his Department earn a salary over £100,000 per annum.

Phil Hope: There were 71 senior civil servants in the Department who earned a salary of over £100,000 at 1 April 2008. Salary includes base pay and all pay-related allowances. Further details are available in the departmental report 2009, which was published on 11 June 2009.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to page 48 of his Department's Annual Report 2009, if he will provide details of the  (a) central strategic health authority allocation,  (b) centrally managed funds,  (c) research and development,  (d) Department for Health administration,  (e) technical,  (f) other central and  (g) contingency dispositions; and how much has not yet been allocated in each case.

Mike O'Brien: The requested further detailed information is supplied as follows. It should be noted that due to the timing of publication of the departmental report 2009, the chart on page 48 of the departmental report was constructed based on information from plans at January 2009. By the start of 2009-10 financial year all funding had been allocated.
	
		
			  Central strategic health authority allocations 
			  Expenditure type  Total (£000) 
			 Allocations to Specific Programmes 830,452 
			 Allocations to Services 125,602 
			 Allocations to Hosted Programmes 344,409 
			 Total 1,300,460 
		
	
	The make-up of the £9.7 billion of centrally managed funds is shown in the chart on page 48 of the departmental report (in the linked boxes).
	Planned research and development expenditure was set at £900 million.
	Department of Health administration are fully set out in figure B.3 of page 233 of the departmental report 2009.
	
		
			  Technical 
			  Budget name  Total (£ million) 
			 Trust Debt Remuneration -1,185 
			 Trust Cost of Capital 1,266 
			 DEL Impairments 50 
			 Total 131 
		
	
	
		
			  Other central 
			  Budget name  Total (£ million) 
			 Directorate-General Managed Budgets 1,686 
			 End-Year Flexibility Funding and Transfers 38 
			 Non-Cash Central Programmes 24 
			 Total 1,748 
		
	
	All contingency funds were allocated by the start of 2009-10.

Departmental Written Questions

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to answer Questions tabled by hon. Members on the operation of  (a) NHS foundation trusts and  (b) Monitor; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: Ministers are not in a position to respond to questions or comment about issues relating to operational management within NHS foundation trusts (NHSFTs).
	However, as with tabled parliamentary questions, Ministers will continue to provide information to hon. Members or peers on behalf of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) on issues specifically relating to the regulation of NHSFTs. The same would apply to issues relating to the management of Monitor.
	We cannot anticipate every likely avenue of approach that hon. Members might take in raising matters about NHSFTs. In general Ministers will continue to refer hon. Members to the chair of a local NHSFT to respond to questions tabled about its day to day management. We will also continue to direct written parliamentary questions on such matters to the chair of the organisation for answer.
	Matters of national policy for the NHS, including its resources, standards and targets, will continue to be the responsibility of Ministers. Ministers will therefore continue to be responsible for responding to written and other tabled questions about the provision of NHS services, including provision through NHSFTs where the information is collected centrally.

Eating Disorders: Young People

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) boys and  (b) girls aged (i) under 10, (ii) 10, (iii) 11, (iv) 12, (v) 13, (vi) 14, (vii) 15, (viii) 16, (ix) 17 and (x) 18 years old were admitted to hospital for illnesses or conditions relating to eating disorders in the last year for which figures are available.

Phil Hope: The information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Count of finished admission episodes( 1)  where there was a primary diagnosis of eating disorders( 2)  by age and sex, 2008-09( 3) , activity in English NHS hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			  Age  Male  Female 
			 0-9 48 30 
			 10 5 4 
			 11 3 28 
			 12 10 53 
			 13 7 92 
			 14 18 140 
			 15 10 194 
			 16 13 155 
			 17 8 98 
			 18 2 61 
			 (1 ) Finished admission episodes  A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2 ) Primary diagnosis (eating disorders)  The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the hospital episode statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.  ICD-10 clinical codes for eating disorders  F50.0 Anorexia nervosa  F50.1 Atypical anorexia nervosa  F50.2 Bulimia nervosa  F50.3 Atypical bulimia nervosa  F50.4 Overeating associated with other psychological disturbances  F50.5 Vomiting associated with other psychological disturbances  F50.8 Other eating disorders  F50.9 Eating disorder, unspecified  F98.2 Feeding disorder of infancy and childhood  F98.3 Pica of infancy and childhood (3 ) Data quality  HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Health Services: Isle of Man

Colin Challen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the outcome was of his recent discussions with a delegation from the Isle of Man Government on reciprocal health arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had a positive meeting with a delegation from the Isle of Man on 19 January 2010. The meeting helped reaffirm the strength of the ties with the Isle of Man and provided a useful insight into how the termination of the reciprocal agreement was perceived there. It was confirmed to the Chief Minister that the agreement will come to an end on 31 March 2010. Both Governments have committed to review the situation for any possible negative consequences or unforeseen impacts. It was also agreed to work in close partnership with the Isle of Man Government to ensure the practical effects of the termination are communicated clearly to all those affected.

Hospitals: Admissions

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what proportion of  (a) all patients and  (b) patients aged (i) under 16 years old, (ii) between 16 and 74 years old and (iii) over 74 years old required emergency readmission within 28 days of emergency admission to hospital in each of the last three years.

Mike O'Brien: The available information, based on information provided by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development (NCHOD), is in the following table. Information for 2008-09 is not yet available.
	
		
			  Emergency readmissions within 28 days of previous in-patient stay 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  Number of emergency readmissions( 1)
			 Patients of:
			 Under 16 years 72,333 72,843 77,631 
			 16-74 years 292,729 301,982 309,589 
			 75 years and over 152,279 154,044 159,134 
			 All patients 517,341 528,869 546,354 
			 
			  Emergency readmissions as a percentage of all hospital inpatient admissions( 2)
			 Patients of:
			 Under 16 years 9.38 9.53 10.00 
			 16-74 years 9.01 9.25 9.38 
			 75 years and over 13.90 13.90 14.08 
			 All patients 10.11 10.30 10.50 
			 
			  Emergency readmissions as a percentage of all hospital inpatient admissions, adjusted for changes in case-mix( 2,3)
			 Patients of:
			 Under 16 years 9.17 9.34 9.74 
			 16-74 years 8.88 9.20 9.50 
			 75 years and over 13.73 13.91 14.21 
			 All patients 9.95 10.22 10.53 
			 (1) Emergency readmissions are defined as emergency admissions occurring within 0-27 days of discharge from a previous hospital inpatient stay, excluding obstetrics, mental health and cancer. (2) Number of emergency readmissions as a percentage of the total number of hospital inpatient admissions for the same financial year, excluding obstetrics, mental health and cancer. (3) Adjusted to a 2003-04 baseline for variations (within each age group) in age, sex, method of admission and diagnosis/procedure.  Source: National summary of data from the 'Compendium of clinical and health indicators', NCHOD October

Hospitals: Admissions

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people aged 60 years and over in  (a) England and  (b) Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency who had at least one emergency readmission to hospital in the last two years for which figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: The information available, based on information provided by the National Centre for Health Outcomes Development, is set out in the following table. Information on the number of people who have experienced at least one emergency readmission (as opposed to the total number of emergency readmissions), and information for the precise geographical area or age group requested, is not available and could not be obtained at proportionate cost.
	
		
			  Emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge from hospital (excluding cancer, maternity and mental health patients) 
			   Persons 16 to 74 years  Persons 75+ years 
			   FY 2006-07  FY 2007-08  FY 2006-07  FY 2007-08 
			 England 301,982 309,589 154,044 159,134 
			 Birmingham Metropolitan District Council 7,469 8,121 3,252 3,502 
			  Source:  National Centre for Health Outcomes Development Compendium of clinical and health indicators (available at www.nchod.nhs.uk), derived from Hospital Episodes Statistics.

Hotels

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 11 January 2010,  Official Report, column 758W, on hotels, what the cost of his Department's hotel booking contract has been since 2007.

Phil Hope: The Department uses a framework contract let by the Office of Government Commerce for its hotel bookings. The Department pays no fees for the use of this contract and the use of this contract enables the Department to make savings against the bookings made.
	The total cost of hotel bookings made since 2007 through the contract are as follows:
	
		
			   Hotel room bookings (£) 
			 2007-08 1,245,739 
			 2008-09 1,629,168

Industrial Health and Safety

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the health and safety advice issued to each new starter upon joining his Department.

Phil Hope: The Department is committed to giving new staff the tools they need to carry out their jobs effectively, as quickly as possible. This is achieved through induction, which is delivered in three parts-local induction activities, an online induction programme and a corporate induction day.
	On arriving at the Department, staff receive an automatic welcome e-mail. This also outlines the different components of induction and how to access them. Health and safety is covered by Section 3 of the on-line induction programme, accessed via an intranet link. Local health and safety procedures are covered by the line manager on the first day of employment, as directed by the line manager's checklist.
	A copy of the induction checklists and a text version of the health and safety section of the on-line induction programme have been placed in the Library.

Mentally Ill

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent estimate has been made of the proportion of people who have mental health problems; and on what basis that estimate is made.

Phil Hope: One in six adults has a common mental disorder at any one time. This estimate is based on the 2007 Survey of Psychiatric Morbidity Among Adults living in private households in England.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Inquiry

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library at the earliest opportunity a copy of the report of the inquiry into Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust commissioned by his Department and chaired by Robert Francis, QC.

Mike O'Brien: Yes. The inquiry is due to report within the next few weeks. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State intends to place a copy in the Library in due course.

Monitor: Pay

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much  (a) the executive chairman and  (b) each of the five paid directors of Monitor were paid in the latest period figures are available.

Mike O'Brien: We are advised by the chairman of Monitor (the statutory name of which is the Independent Regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts) that in 2008-09  (a) the executive chairman of Monitor received a salary payment of £235,647 which included a 5.5 per cent. non-consolidated payment of £12,001 and  (b) the four non-executive directors were paid in £000 within a £5,000 band as follows:
	
		
			   £000 
			 Christopher Mellor (deputy chairman) 15-20 
			 Jude Goffe 25-30 
			 Elaine Murphy 15-20 
			 Stephen Thornton 10-15

NHS: Finance

Stephen Crabb: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received from the Charity Commission on changes to accounting standards in respect of charitable donations to hospital funds.

Phil Hope: Officials have met with representatives of the Charity Commission, together with other stakeholders, on several occasions in the last year to discuss changes in the accounting standards in respect of linked charitable funds and national health service organisations. I will be meeting with the chief executive and chair of the Charity Commission on 28 January 2010 to discuss this issue further.

NHS: Negligence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical negligence cases funded by conditional fee agreements were closed in each of the last five years; in how many such cases damages were paid, whether by agreement to settle or award; in such cases where damages were paid, what the costs of defending the cases were; what the legal costs paid to the claimants for  (a) base costs and  (b) success fees were; and in cases where damages were paid, what amounts were paid in after the event insurance premiums.

Ann Keen: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 21 January 2010,  Official Report, column 446W.

Non-profit Making Associations: Finance

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what  (a) financial and  (b) other assistance his Department is providing to the social enterprise Your Health proposed by Kingston's Primary Care Trust; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: Your Health has received £30,000 from the Right to Request First Wave monies that was granted to London strategic health authority in November 2009. A commitment of £619,000 has been made from the Social Enterprise Investment Fund to Your Health, which they intend to draw down over the next few weeks.
	Your Health has received general support from the Department, alongside others considering social enterprise, in the form of attendance at peer-supported learning events.

Nutrition

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to make it a criminal offence for the food industry to manufacture and sell artificial food products which are known to have seriously harmful effects on health.

Gillian Merron: The sale of any food that is unsafe is already prohibited by Regulation (EC) 178/2002. Food is considered to be unsafe if it is either injurious to health or unfit for human consumption. The General Food Regulations 2004 and the General Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004 create offences of contravening or failing to comply with the food safety requirements of Regulation (EC) 178/2002.

Nutrition

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent reports he has received from  (a) professional,  (b) campaigning and  (c) other public health organisations on the effects on coronary health of artificial trans fats; and if he will bring forward proposals to ban the sale of products containing artificial trans fats in light of the most recent evidence on those effects.

Gillian Merron: The Food Standards Agency (FSA) carried out a comprehensive review of the health impacts of trans fats in 2007, and reported that voluntary action taken by the food industry to reduce the levels of trans fats in foods in the United Kingdom has been successful in achieving the reduction in dietary intakes to 1 per cent. of food energy. As part of this review the Government's Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) examined the evidence regarding the health effects of trans fat, including coronary heart disease (CHD). The SACN review concluded trans fat from partially hydrogenated oils has a moderate impact on increasing the risk of CHD and recommended that trans fats should contribute no more than 2 per cent. of food energy.
	The FSA is aware that the World Health Organisation (WHO) published a scientific update on trans fats in 2009. This reviewed evidence since the 1993 joint Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations/WHO Expert Consultation on Fats and Oils in Human Nutrition, including the effects of trans fat consumption on CHD. The WHO conclusions are consistent with the SACN position statement.
	The Government note the reports by the Faculty of Public Health and the Royal Society for Public Health regarding the banning of artificial trans fats from foods. However, given the reduction in levels of trans fat in the UK and the fact that no new evidence has come to light since the 2007 SACN position statement, the UK Government believe that legislation would be unlikely to deliver any further health benefit.
	The FSA continues to monitor the intakes of trans fats and encourages the food industry to eliminate them.

Prescription Drugs

Paul Beresford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what research his Department undertook for the purposes of its consultation and impact assessment on automatic generic substitution in respect of assessment of the  (a) effect on incentives for investments in research and development,  (b) the potential health impacts on patients and  (c) the one-off costs, ongoing costs and potential savings; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that patients continue to receive the most appropriate treatment under its preferred approach in the proposal for automatic generic substitution of medicines; what role the quarterly reviewed select list will play in this process; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  whether his Department consulted the National Patient Safety Agency during its discussions on proposals to introduce automatic generic substitution of medicines.

Mike O'Brien: In developing the proposals and analysis set out in the consultation document The proposals to implement 'Generic Substitution' in primary care, further to the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme (PPRS) 2009 and its associated partial impact assessment, published on 5 January 2010, the Department was informed by input from stakeholders supported by published literature and in-house modelling.
	The Department recognises that further evidence may be available, which is why we are holding a full public consultation, to which all those with an interest can input, including patients. We are also holding a number of consultation events (through NHS Primary Care Commissioning). The National Patient Safety Agency's views were not specifically sought before publishing the consultation document.
	Under the Department's preferred approach (option 3), there are two mechanisms for ensuring that patients continue to receive the most appropriate treatment. Firstly, the creation of a select list will clearly define those drugs falling within the scope of the generic substitution arrangements. This list has been drawn up to include those medicines that deliver the most savings and excludes drugs where there are any general, clinical or patient safety concerns with regard to interchange between different manufacturers' products. Secondly, preservers' clinical autonomy to tailor prescribing to their individual patients' clinical needs will be maintained. Where a prescriber judges that there is a clinical need, a mechanism will be in place to ensure that patients can continue to receive a specific manufacturer's product.
	The consultation document and partial impact assessment can be found on the Department's website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/consultations/index.htm
	Copies have been placed in the Library. Details of the consultation events will be published on the NHS Primary Care Commissioning website at:
	www.pcc.nhs.uk/events

Screening: EU Law

Graham Stringer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the effect of the Physical Agents Directive on the number of patients per week who receive medical scans.

Gillian Merron: The Physical Agents Directive has yet to be implemented. The adopted Directive has been amended to provide for a later implementation date of April 2012 so that the European Union can reassess its potential impact. The Directive itself covers both optical and electromagnetic (EMF) radiation, but is specifically aimed at workers. Both the optical and the EMF parts of the Directive explicitly exclude patients. Therefore, there should be no effect on the number of medical scans patients receive each week unless implementation limits the types and number of scans that can be done because of exposure to clinical staff attending the patient. This cannot be assessed until the Directive is finally implemented.

Snow and Ice

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the costs to his Department arising from the severe weather conditions in the period 4 January to 18 January 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Mike O'Brien: This is a matter for the local national health service. The NHS, as part of its planning process, ensures operational challenges such as adverse weather are factored into local contingency plans, including the cost of treating patients.

Swine Flu: Vaccination

Jacqui Lait: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 15 December 2009,  Official Report, column 1059W, on swine influenza: disease control, what consideration he has given to the merits of  (a) using the NHS number alone to track take-up of the vaccine and  (b) requiring only monthly totals of vaccinations administered by each GP or practice to be submitted.

Gillian Merron: The Department's policy is to collect only anonymised statistical data for swine influenza vaccine uptake and therefore no individual patient identifiable data are collected as part of this vaccine uptake data collection. Using national health service numbers would have been inconsistent with this policy.
	The Department only requires swine influenza vaccine uptake data from all general practices on a monthly basis. The weekly vaccine uptake figures are based on an automated extraction of data from about 40 per cent. of general practitioner practices. This data extraction places no burden on these practices.

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Equality and Human Rights Commission: Industrial Disputes

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 12 October 2009,  Official Report, column 31W, on the Equality and Human Rights Commission: industrial disputes, what the outcome was of each of the 15 employment disputes that were taken to an employment tribunal; and what the grounds of the dispute were in each case, anonymised where necessary.

Maria Eagle: The information requested in relation to the 15 employment disputes made by Equality and Human Rights Commission employees or recruits since the opening of the Commission in October 2007 is provided as follows:
	1. Alleged less favourable treatment on grounds of transgender status, breach of statutory grievance procedure, breach of contract and unfair dismissal. Withdrawn.
	2. Alleged race and sex discrimination. Claims dismissed at tribunal.
	3. Alleged race and sex discrimination. Withdrawn.
	4. Alleged sex discrimination, breach of Transfer of Undertakings (TUPE) and statutory grievance procedure and personal injury. Settlement agreed at tribunal.
	5. Alleged constructive dismissal. Settled.
	6. Alleged unlawful deduction of wages and breach of contract. Withdrawn.
	7. Alleged race discrimination. Withdrawn.
	8. Alleged constructive, unfair and wrongful dismissal. Withdrawn on agreed terms.
	9. Alleged failure to consult under TUPE. Withdrawn.
	10. Constructive dismissal. Settled.
	11. Alleged less favourable treatment on grounds of pregnancy. Dismissed at tribunal. Claimant has appealed.
	12. Alleged race and religious discrimination. Not yet heard.
	13. Alleged disability discrimination in recruitment process. Settled on agreed terms.
	14. Alleged disability discrimination in the recruitment process. Withdrawn.
	15. Alleged unlawful deduction of wages. Struck out as not an employee of the Commission.

Prisoners: Voting

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality with reference to the Equality and Human Rights Commission's press release of 11 December 2009, on the Hirst decision of the European Court of Human Rights, what representations she has received from the Equality and Human Rights Commission on giving convicted prisoners the right to vote.

Maria Eagle: The Equality and Human Rights Commission has made no representations to the Minister for Women and Equality on giving convicted prisoners the right to vote.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Liquefied Petroleum Gas: Distribution

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if his Department will take further steps to ensure more efficient delivery of liquefied petroleum gas to customers whose supplies have been affected by the recent severe weather.

David Kidney: The distributors of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) have been working hard in challenging conditions to supply customers during the worst cold weather experienced for 29 years, particularly in remote parts of the country. My officials have worked closely with the LPG industry to make a robust case for the temporary relaxation of the enforcement of EU drivers' hours and working-time rules. Relaxing drivers' hours is very much a 'last-resort' option that can only be considered once all else has failed and once contingency plans have been fully implemented. I welcome the decision made by the Transport Minister to agree to the cases for the temporary relaxation given to LPG drivers over two week-long periods between 11 and 25 January. The Department will continue to work with fuel distributors in relation to resilience of supply chains.

Natural Gas: Storage

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the current size of the UK's strategic gas reserve is; and what the UK average daily winter gas demand is.

David Kidney: Commercial gas storage capacity currently stands at 4.3 billion cubic metres (bcm); some 22 commercial projects could increase this very substantially by 2020. Based on data from the National Grid Winter Consultation Report for 2009-10, the average daily winter demand during the gas year 2008-09 was around 300-350 mcm/day; while the average demand for the coldest 100 days in 2008-09 was 365 mcm/day. Gas shippers have a number of options for sourcing gas. Indigenous supplies from the United Kingdom Continental Shelf, as well as imports through a range of expanded and major new import facilities, have important roles, in addition to storage.

Natural Gas: Storage

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many times the UK's strategic gas reserves have been drawn on in each year of the last 30 years; for what reason in each case; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Commercial gas storage capacity currently stands at 4.3 billion cubic metres. Gas shippers, which are incentivised to balance their gas supply/demand portfolios on a daily basis, have a number of supply-side tools for achieving this balance: through indigenous supplies from the United Kingdom Continental Shelf and elsewhere, and from imports, as well as from storage. This diversity of supply helped the gas market to perform well in the cold snap earlier this month.

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority: Finance

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the reason for the cost of the finance function of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority referred to in the publication Benchmarking the Back Office: Central Government; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: The finance data on NDA in the Benchmarking the Back Office publication reflect the cost of the NDA's head office finance function as a percentage of the total running cost of NDA head office. However, the role of NDA's head office finance function is not limited to managing the budget of its head office; rather it extends to managing the total budget of NDA's entire estate. Benchmarked against the total expenditure of the authority for 2008-09 of some £2.7 billion in 2008-09 the cost of the finance function represents only 0.1 per cent. of NDA expenditure.

Renewable Energy

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress he has made on the Government's commitment to raise the perception of energy demand from renewable sources to 15 per cent. by 2020; what assessment he has made of the contribution of the offshore wind turbines to be developed under Round 3 to this target; and if he will make a statement.

David Kidney: Good progress is being made in meeting our target. In 2008, the UK generated 2.25 per cent. of its energy (electricity, heat and transport) from renewable sources, up from 1.8 per cent. in 2007 and 1.5 per cent. in 2006.
	In 2008, electricity from renewable sources grew by 10 per cent. with offshore wind generation growing by a massive 67 per cent. and onshore wind by 29 per cent. Plant biomass grew by 39 per cent. over the same period.
	It looks like the healthy progress in renewable electricity will continue. By the end of 2009:
	7.5GW of renewable generation from a variety of sources was already in operation;
	nearly 3GW more is under construction;
	another 8.5GW has planning permission and is awaiting construction; and
	over 10GW of future projects are going through the planning process.
	In terms of the contribution of offshore wind under Round 3 to meeting this target, the Crown Estate has awarded Zone Development Agreements for the construction of up to 32GW of offshore wind by 2020. This figure represents potential; actual delivery will depend on a range of factors including the outcome of planning applications by the developers.

Renewables Obligation

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change 
	(1)  how many renewable obligations certificates were issued to developers of renewable energy technologies in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008;
	(2)  what the monetary value was of renewable obligation certificates received by the developers of renewable energy technologies in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2006,  (c) 2007 and  (d) 2008.

David Kidney: Ofgem issue Renewable Obligation Certificates (ROCs) to generators for each MWh of electricity they produce from eligible renewables sources.
	Ofgem publish data on how many ROCs are issued to individual generating stations each month on the Renewables and CHP Register which can be found at
	https://www.renewablesandchp.ofgem.gov.uk/
	For the relevant obligation periods the following ROCs were issued:
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Number of ROCs 18,032,904 21,629,676 25,477,265 28,975,678 
		
	
	The nominal value of each ROC received is determined by the avoided buyout price and the recycle amount. For the relevant obligation periods these were:
	
		
			  (£) 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Buyout price 32.33 33.24 34.30 35.76 
			 Recycle amount 10.21 16.04 18.65 18.61 
			 Nominal value 42.54 49.28 52.95 54.37 
		
	
	It is a matter of commercial contract how much of the nominal value of each ROC a generator receives.

Wind Power

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guaranteed price Round 3 offshore wind development partners have been given for the future  (a) energy they produce and  (b) theoretical energy they could produce; and for what duration in each case.

David Kidney: The UK system does not guarantee prices to energy suppliers-prices are determined by the market.
	All offshore wind projects that receive full accreditation between 1 April 2010 and 31 March 2014 will receive 2 ROCs/MWh under the Renewables Obligation.

Wind Power

Ann Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the planned timetable is for  (a) commissioning and  (b) construction of each Round 3 offshore wind (i) generator and (ii) platform.

David Kidney: Each consortium which has been awarded a Zone Development Agreement will need to apply to the relevant planning body for development consent to build and operate offshore wind farms in that zone. If development consent is granted, the actual timetable for commissioning and constructing an offshore wind farm project within a zone will be for the consortium partners to determine. It is anticipated that the earliest applications for consent could come forward from 2012 onwards; and should development consent be granted, the earliest projects may commence construction from 2014-15 onwards.

Wind Power: Job Creation

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the evidential basis is for his Department's announcement of 8 January 2010 that 70,000 jobs will be created by the 32 GW of off-shore wind power generation; what proportion of the funding for such generating capacity he expects to come from public funds; and how many of the new jobs he estimates will arise from construction and maintenance of port facilities to service wind power developments.

David Kidney: The figure of up to 70,000 jobs is drawn from the 2009 Carbon Trust report Focus for Success: A new approach to commercialising Low Carbon technologies, which estimated the potential net economic benefits of a range of low carbon technologies. The report is available to download free of charge from the Carbon trust website at
	www.carbontrust.co.uk
	The Carbon Trust report also estimated that some 40 per cent. of the jobs could be in installation and operations and maintenance, and some 35 per cent. in related services.
	The Department has not made an estimate of the proportion of funding for such expenditure that is likely to come from public funds.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Law Officers' Departments: Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Solicitor-General which of the public appointments for which the Law Officers' Departments are responsible are due to be  (a) renewed and  (b) filled in the next 24 months; what the (i) remit, (ii) salary, (iii) political restrictions, (iv) eligibility requirements and (v) timetable for each such appointment is; and what records the Law Officers' Departments keep in respect of such appointments.

Vera Baird: We are currently recruiting for the only public appointment within the Law Officers' Department, the post of Chief Inspector of HM Crown Prosecution Service, which we are hoping to fill in April 2010.
	 (i) The remit of the role is:
	To lead and develop an independent, robust, creative and innovative Inspectorate whose work enhances public confidence in prosecution services.
	To enable the Inspectorate to respond to changes in the criminal justice landscape and help raise the overall standard of prosecutorial practice and prosecution service delivery.
	To lead the identification of strategic thematic areas for improvement and offer inspected organisations advice and support on key areas for development.
	To work with and engage a wide range of key stakeholders across the wider criminal justice arena to improve the overall quality and standards of prosecution and delivery of increasingly effective and efficient prosecution services to the public.
	To increase public awareness of prosecution services, and enhance the brand and reputation of both the Inspectorate and the prosecution services.
	To deliver geographical and joint thematic Inspections working with other key inspectorates to improve consistency of standards and the sharing of best practice.
	 (ii) The salary for the role is £150,000.
	 (iii) The appointee may not occupy paid party political posts or hold particularly sensitive or high roles in a political party. Subject to the foregoing, the appointee is free to engage in political activities provided that they are conscious of their general public responsibilities and exercise a proper discretion, particularly with regard to the work of the Inspectorate.
	 (iv) There are no specific eligibility requirements although the candidates were assessed against a range of skills and experience such as a strong understanding of the criminal justice system and a track record of successfully driving organisational improvement.
	 (v) The selection process for this appointment is well under way. The preferred candidate appeared before the Justice Committee on 12 January 2010. The Committee's report is awaited. Once received the Attorney-General will consider the report before making any appointment.
	The Attorney-General's Office holds records on all aspects of the selection process for this appointment.

Law Officers' Departments: Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Solicitor-General what public appointments are made by  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in the Law Officers' Departments.

Vera Baird: The information requested is as follows:
	 (a) The Attorney-General is responsible for the appointment of the Chief Inspector of Her Majesty's Crown Prosecution Inspectorate (HMCPSI).
	 (b) No public appointments are currently made by officials in the Law Officers' Departments.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing: Islington

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what funding his Department and its agencies provided for social housing in Islington in 2009-10; and how much such funding he expects to be allocated to Islington in 2010-11.

Ian Austin: holding answer 19 January 2010
	The Homes and Communities Agency will report in their annual report and financial statements spend through the National Affordable Housing Programme in 2009-10 after the end of the financial year.
	In 2009-10 between April and November 2009 the HCA has made new allocations of over £78.6 million for schemes in Islington within the NAHP. The HCA are continuing to make allocations for this programme under their continuous market engagement process. In addition, some £4 million has also been allocated for schemes through the local authority new build programme in Islington.
	Islington should receive approximately £60,803,000 in housing revenue account subsidy (HRAS) in 2009-10, based on their subsidy claims submitted during the year. The 2010-11 HRAS entitlement for Islington will not be known until the end of March 2010 when the first claim form for 2010-11 is due to be submitted.

Audit Commission: Procurement

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 16 December 2009,  Official Report, column 1261W, on the Audit Commission: procurement, how much the Audit Commission paid to  (a) the Reform Club  (b) AA The Driving School and  (c) The Twisted Oak Pub in 2008-09; on what dates such payments were made; and what services were provided by each organisation.

Rosie Winterton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 25 January 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	The Commission made the following payments to:
	
		
			  The Reform Club:   
			 9 April 2008 £4,423.88 Deposit for Commission's 25th Anniversary event held on 21/4/08 
			 8 May 2008 £1,520.74 Room hire for Commission's 25th Anniversary event held on 21/4/08 
			
			  AA The Driving School:   
			 3 June 2008 £546.38 Extra driver tuition 
			 1 July 2008 £176.25 Extra driver tuition 
			 11 August 2008 £176.25 Extra driver tuition 
			 6 November 2008 £176.25 Extra driver tuition 
			 31 March 2009 £178.25 Extra driver tuition 
			
			  The Twisted Oak Pub:   
			 16 December 2008 £416.90 Christmas Party for 22 people (at that time the Audit Commission provided a staff social subsidy, which was subsequently withdrawn in 2009.) 
		
	
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.

Audit Commission: Public Relations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 7 December 2009,  Official Report, column 58W, on the Audit Commission: public relations; if he will place in the Library a copy of the commissioned documents paid for on  (a) 10 June 2009,  (b) 12 June 2009 and  (c) 14 September 2009.

Rosie Winterton: Copies of the requested documents have been placed in the Library.

Audit Commission: Public Relations

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 7 December 2009,  Official Report, column 59W, on the Audit Commission: public relations, if he will place in the Library a copy of the perceptions and influence map commissioned by the Audit Commission.

Rosie Winterton: A copy of the document requested has been placed in the Library.

Departmental Co-ordination

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what contribution his Department is making to the Ministry of Justice's proposed accommodation relocation and nationalisation project.

Rosie Winterton: Communities and Local Government was formally consulted, as lead Department on regeneration, as to how any Ministry of Justice relocation could address regeneration needs and issues. This included contributing policy advice and expertise on appropriate analytical sources and techniques to help establish criteria against which any relocation could be measured, including where the Ministry of Justice could consider siting any national activities.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many complaints the Local Government Ombudsman has received in relation to waste collection services in each of the last five years.

Rosie Winterton: For the years 2004-05 to 2008-09 the Local Government Ombudsman received the following number of complaints about waste collection.
	
		
			  Complaints about waste collection 
			   Number 
			 2004-05 37 
			 2005-06 43 
			 2006-07 45 
			 2007-08 47 
			 2008-09 49

Energy Efficiency

Dai Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will discuss with his US counterpart the applicability to UK building stock of the report on building sector energy efficiency presented by the US Administration to the Major Economies Forum in December 2009.

Ian Austin: We are always keen to learn from the experience of other nations in improving the energy efficiency of buildings but I have no plans to discuss this report with colleagues in the US Administration.

Floods: Greater London

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many and what proportion of new dwellings built in London were built in areas of high flood risk in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: In 2008, 20,590 dwellings were built in London. Around 4,500 (22 per cent.) of these were estimated to be built in areas of high flood risk.
	The Environment Agency has statutory responsibility for flood risk management and flood defence in England. It has an important advisory role in all stages of the plan-making process, being a statutory consultee on the preparation of regional spatial strategies and local development plans. Local planning authorities are required to consult the Agency on all applications for planning permission (except for minor development) in areas with a medium or high probability of flooding, or in areas notified as having critical drainage problems (collectively known as flood risk areas), and for development on land exceeding one hectare outside flood risk areas.
	The Agency also provides advice on the preparation of flood risk assessments at the regional, district/local and development site levels. The Environment Agency can ask for any planning application to which it objects to be called in for decision by the Secretary of State. In addition, the (planning) Consultation Direction requires that planning applications for major developments (e.g., of 10 or more homes, or 1,000 square meters of new floor space) in flood risk areas where there is an outstanding Environment Agency objection on flood risk grounds, must be referred to the Secretary of State for consideration of whether they should be called in.

Housing: Construction

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government by what means the contents of the written ministerial statement of 19 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 6-7WS, on planning, appeared in  The Daily Telegraph on the morning of 19 January 2010; and who authorised the provision of the information to  The Daily Telegraph.

John Healey: No journalist had sight or copy of my written ministerial statement of 19 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 6-7WS, on planning before it was laid in the House.

Housing: Leaseback Arrangements

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what figures his Department and its agencies hold on sale and rent back transactions of domestic properties;
	(2)  how many sale and rent bank transactions of domestic properties there were in each of the last five years.

Ian Austin: Data on sale and rent back transactions are not held by this Department. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, North (Sarah McCarthy-Fry) on 20 January 2010,  Official Report, column 391W.

Housing: Parking

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his Department has commissioned research into the attitudes of home buyers in relation to the effects on buying behaviour of the availability of car parking spaces at new build houses.

Ian Austin: The Department has not commissioned any research on this topic.

Housing: Standards

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have received Level 6 Code for Sustainable Homes certification.  [Official Report, 28 January 2010, Vol. 504, c. 7-8MC.]

Ian Austin: Level 6 of the Code for Sustainable Homes (the Code) is a zero carbon home with very high sustainability standards and is an incredibly high standard to build to. However, we now have a growing number of homes been built to this higher level of the Code.
	It takes between 18 months and two years to design and build a Code home. The Code came into operation in April 2007, but we did not start seeing homes built to the Code standard until late 2008. The number of Code homes is increasing every month. At the end of December 2009, there were a total of 2,434 homes with Code certificates spread across all Code levels at post-construction stage (i.e. completed Code homes), 10,319 at design stage and over 300,000 registered homes on over 3,000 developments. Most of these homes are built to Code level 3-which represents for energy a 25 per cent. improvement on the current building regulations and is a demanding building standard. Homes funded by the Homes and Communities Agency are required to meet Code level 3 standard.
	There are two stages in the assessment process for the Code and 110 homes have been certified.

Local Government Services

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the status is of the two-tier joint working pathfinder project; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each evaluation report for the pathfinder pilots.

Rosie Winterton: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) on 20 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1396W.

Local Government: Publicity

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what timetable has been set for the completion of the Audit Commission's study into council publicity expenditure.

Rosie Winterton: This is an operational matter for the Audit Commission, and I will ask the chief executive of the Audit Commission to write to the hon. Member direct.
	 Letter from Steve Bundred, dated 25 January 2010:
	Your Parliamentary Question has been passed to me to reply.
	No timetable has been set for the completion of the Audit Commission's work on council publicity expenditure.
	The Commission Board considered evidence collected in response to the request in the Digital Britain report at its meeting on 17 December 2009. We expect to write to the Minister for Digital Britain with our findings by Friday 22 January 2010.
	A copy of this letter will be placed in Hansard.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many full time-equivalent staff work in his Department's local government review unit on unitary council restructuring.

Rosie Winterton: There are some 10 full-time equivalent staff working on the structure of local government including work on unitary council restructuring, and on improving the operation of two-tier local government structures.

Local Government: Reorganisation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for elections to the new shadow unitary authorities.

Rosie Winterton: As indicated in the Department's discussion papers issued on 6 January 2010 seeking the views of councils in Devon, Norfolk, and Suffolk on possible transitional arrangements, were the Secretary of State to decide to implement any unitary proposal for those areas, the first elections to any new council may be in May 2010 or in May 2011.
	If the Secretary of State decides to implement any unitary proposal, he will then decide the transitional arrangements for implementing the proposal, including the timing of elections, having regard to the responses received to the Department's discussion papers.

Natural Gas: Storage

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations he has received on the recent decision by Lancashire county council to refuse planning permission for a proposed facility for further gas storage capability in that area.

Ian Austin: I understand that there have been no recent decisions made by Lancashire county council in respect of planning applications for gas storage. However a planning application was made by Canatxx Gas Storage Ltd. for the creation of an underground gas storage facility in Preesall, Wyre, on 20 February 2009, and it is expected to be determined by the county council on 27 January 2010.
	To date, no representations have been received by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government in respect of this planning application.

Non-Domestic Rates

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the average business rates charge in England in 2010-11.

Barbara Follett: No estimate of the average business rates charged in England for 2010-11 has been made, as this figure depend on the level of reliefs given, many of which are determined at the billing authorities' discretion.
	For the purpose of modelling the 2010 transitional relief scheme, the notional chargeable amount (NCA) was calculated. The NCA for a given year is the product of the rateable value and that year's small business multiplier. The NCA is then compared to the previous year's reference value increased by the caps. The minimum of these two values was used as a proxy for the bill after transition but before all other reliefs. Details on the methodology and assumptions used can be found on page 49 of the The transitional arrangements for the non-domestic rating revaluation 2010 in England consultation document. These include zero inflation, which does not reflect the latest information available, and adjustments for appeals.
	A copy of the consultation document is available at the following link:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/localgovernment /nndrrevaluation2010
	The five-yearly business rates revaluations make sure each business pays its fair contribution and no more by ensuring the share of the national rates bill paid by any one business reflects changes over time in the value of their property relative to others. The 2010 revaluation will not raise a single extra penny for Government.
	Over a million properties will see their business rate liabilities come down as a result of revaluation. The Government intend to put in place a £2 billion relief scheme to limit the impact on the minority with bill increases, which in 2010-11 will ensure no business property sees its rates bill increase by more than 11 per cent. as a result of the revaluation, with maximum increases capped at just 3.5 per cent. for small properties. That is on top of the wider support available to help ease business pressures, including discounted rate bills for small businesses and deferring tax payments.

Non-Domestic Rates: Charities

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many charities in England are granted 100 per cent. relief from business rates.

Barbara Follett: The information requested is not held centrally.

Non-Domestic Rates: Ports

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many port companies newly assessed for business rates  (a) have and  (b) have not accepted the option of paying retrospective rates over an eight-year period; and how many have paid their new annual assessment to date.

Barbara Follett: The review of ports by the Valuation Office Agency is being held to ensure that all individual business properties within and outside the port area are rated fairly in order that the burden of contributions to the funding of local government services is shared fairly between businesses around the country.
	The Government have listened to the concerns of businesses with significant and unexpected backdated bills, including some within the ports. They have legislated to allow such bills to be repaid over an unprecedented eight years rather than in one single instalment, thus helping affected businesses to manage the impact on their cash flows during the downturn by reducing the amount they are required to pay now by 87 per cent.
	As at 23 December 2009, the Valuation Office Agency reports that there are 723 newly assessed properties within ports liable for backdated rates. As at 8 October 2009, local authorities reports that ratepayers occupying 200 properties within ports have been granted a schedule of payments agreement.
	Of the remaining properties, local authorities report that 221 have fully discharged their backdated liability.
	We do not hold information on how many of these are up to date on current rate bills.

Non-Domestic Rates: Valuation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden of 16 December 2009,  Official Report, column 1298W, on non-domestic rates, which 50 hereditaments in  (a) the North West,  (b) the North East,  (c) the East Midlands,  (d) the West Midlands,  (e) the South West and  (f) the East of England have the greatest percentage increase in rateable values from the 2005 rating list to the draft 2010 rating list; what the rateable value was (i) before and (ii) after revaluation in each case; and what the (A) postcode and (B) local billing authority of each hereditament is.

Barbara Follett: The tables showing the rateable value in the 2005 and the 2010 Rating Lists and postcode for the 50 individual hereditaments that had the biggest percentage increase between the two lists as at 2 November 2009, for the following Government office regions: the North West, the North East, East Midlands, West Midlands, the South West and the East of England have been placed in the Library. These data are consistent with the statistical release titled: Non-domestic rateable values: 2010 Local Ratings Lists-England and Wales, published on 18 December 2009. A copy of the statistical release is available at the following link:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/publications/statistical_releases/VOA _Statistics_Release_Final.pdf
	The rateable values have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
	The five-yearly business rates revaluations make sure each business pays its fair contribution and no more by ensuring the share of the national rates bill paid by any one business reflects changes over time in the value of their property relative to others. The 2010 revaluation will not raise a single extra penny for the Government.
	Over a million properties will see their business rate liabilities come down as a result of revaluation. The Government intend to put in place a £2 billion relief scheme to limit the impact on the minority with bill increases, which in 2010-11 will ensure no business property sees its rates bill increase by more than 11 per cent. as a result of the revaluation, with maximum increases capped at just 3.5 per cent. for small properties. That is on top of the wider support available to help ease business pressures, including discounted rate bills for small businesses and deferring tax payments.

Parks: Merseyside

Ben Chapman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what support his Department has made available for the Mersey Coastal Park Strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The Mersey Coastal Park Strategy is still being finalised but I can confirm that the Department has not provided any direct support to it. Wirral MBC is currently exploring potential funding options with local and regional partners including the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the Homes and Communities Agency.

Regional Assemblies

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which regional planning bodies are branded as regional assemblies.

Rosie Winterton: Three regional planning bodies still operate as regional assemblies. These are West Midlands, East Midlands and the East of England.

Slough

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of the policies and actions of his Department and its predecessors since 2000.

Barbara Follett: The information requested is not available. The Department evaluates the impact of major programmes and policies. We do not assess the specific impacts on individual areas.
	Details of research projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and its predecessors are available from our Research Database (RD) at:
	http://www.rmd.communities.gov.uk/
	The database provides information on projects commissioned by Communities and Local Government and predecessor Departments going back to 30 November 2001. This includes details of evaluations.

Sustainable Development

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when he expects to make a decision on the 199 proposals shortlisted by the Local Government Association and submitted to him under the provisions of the Sustainable Communities Act 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Barbara Follett: The Government are currently assessing the complexity and practicality of the 199 proposals short-listed by the Local Government Association (LGA) in its role of Selector under the Sustainable Communities Act 2007.
	The Government are also currently consulting and seeking to reach agreement with the LGA before deciding which proposals should be implemented. I will keep the House updated on our progress.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Action for Employment

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many hours of training A4e staff working on contracts let by her Department undertake annually.

Jim Knight: Staff training is an internal matter for A4e and therefore not one that the Secretary of State can offer information about, or comment on.

Carer's Allowance

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people received carers' allowance in  (a) Torbay constituency,  (b) Devon and  (c) England in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Carer's allowance cases in payment for each of the last five years, as at May of each year, for Torbay parliamentary constituency; Devon and England 
			  Date  Torbay  Devon  England 
			 May 2005 940 4,680 367,810 
			 May 2006 980 4,890 379,180 
			 May 2007 1,010 5,090 389,370 
			 May 2008 1,050 5,290 404,320 
			 May 2009 1,090 5,490 428,350 
			  Notes: 1. Caseload totals show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and exclude people with underlying entitlement to Carer's Allowance but where carer's allowance is not in payment. 2. Caseload figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Some additional disclosure control has also been applied. 3. England total has been derived by summing individual Government Office regional totals.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate: Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study.

Cold Weather Payments

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent steps her Department has taken to publicise the application process for cold weather payments to  (a) pensioners and  (b) vulnerable households.

Helen Goodman: Information about the cold weather payment scheme, the eligibility rules and how payments are made is available to all client groups, including pensioners, via the Directgov website. For those without information technology, a leaflet The Social Fund which also outlines the qualifying criteria is available from jobcentres as well as through Directgov.
	Cold weather payments are paid automatically to all those who qualify for them and no one needs to make an application.

Cold Weather Payments

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 18 January 2010,  Official Report, column 57W, whether the notification provides details of the dates for which the payment applies.

Helen Goodman: Cold weather payments are made when the average temperature has been recorded or forecast to be 0(o)C or below over seven consecutive days.
	Payments are made using a mixture of forecast and actual-average temperature trigger dates. Unfortunately, because of the resultant complexities the automatically issued notifications do not contain details of the period for which the payment applies. However, the notification itself is dated.
	We believe that it is important to have a scheme that ensures payments are made at the earliest opportunity and that they cover the whole of any relevant period. Any attempt to include details of periods in the automated notices is likely to create more confusion that in resolves.
	Any manually input notifications do provide the date of a cold weather payment period.

Departmental Correspondence

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what targets her Department has for  (a) the acknowledgement and  (b) the issue of a substantive answer to an enquiry from (i) an hon. Member, (ii) a media source and (iii) other sources.

Jonathan R Shaw: In responding to all correspondence, the Department for Work and Pensions follows the Cabinet Office Guidance Handling Correspondence From Members Of Parliament, Members Of The House Of Lords, MEPs And Members Of Devolved Assemblies: Guidance For Departments, which sets out a 20-day target for a substantive response for replies to an hon. member and other sources.
	A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Library and is also available online at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/handling_members_correspondence/guidance_for_departments/guidance/targets.aspx
	In line with most of Whitehall, the Department for Work and Pensions does not generally issue acknowledgements prior to the issue of a substantive reply.

Departmental Data Protection

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether her Department's information assurance procedures have been independently audited.

Jonathan R Shaw: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing) on 12 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 762-63W.

Departmental Fines

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what powers  (a) her Department and  (b) each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) have to impose administrative penalties; what the statutory basis is for each such power; and how much (i) her Department and its predecessor (ii) each of its agencies and NDPBs have recovered in administrative penalties in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and local authorities have the power to offer administrative penalties as an alternative to prosecution for benefit fraud. Section 115A of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 provides for an administrative penalty in respect of benefit fraudsters and section 115B provides for an administrative penalty for collusive employers.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission have power to impose penalty payments on non-resident parents who are in arrears with payments of child support maintenance. The power is provided by section 41A of the Child Support Act 1991. No payment penalties have been imposed since the power was commenced in 2003.
	The Pensions Regulator has a number of administrative penalties which it can impose. A full list of these penalties has been placed in the Library.
	No Administrative penalties were issued by the Pensions Regulator between 2005 and 2009.
	The figures in the following table present the amount collected for administrative penalties by the Pensions Regulator since 2005. Amounts collected represent collection of penalties imposed by the Pension Regulator's predecessor, the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (OPRA). Data on amount of penalties collected by OPRA are not available.
	
		
			  Administrative penalties collected by the Pensions Regulator each year 
			   £ 
			 2005-06 4,000 
			 2006-07 5,274 
			 2007-08 8,060 
			 2008-09 3,000 
			  Note:  Penalty amounts collected do not correspond to the particular year in which the penalty was issued.   Source:  Pensions Regulator Accounts. 
		
	
	Information about other amounts of administrative penalties collected is not available.

Departmental Waste

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what volume of waste her Department and its predecessors generated in each of the last three years; what percentage of this was  (a) paper,  (b) plastic,  (c) glass,  (d) metal,  (e) electrical goods and batteries and (f) food waste; and what percentage of her Department's waste was (i) disposed of securely, (ii) disposed of in landfill and (iii) recycled.

Jonathan R Shaw: General office waste is managed for the Department for Work and Pensions by its PFI estate partner Telereal Trillium. Our largest waste stream is paper, and so efforts have been concentrated on increasing recycling of this paper across the whole estate. There is little scope for nationwide schemes to recycle further waste streams as the volumes generated in individual offices are too small to make a national system to segregate and recycle plastic, glass, metal or batteries either environmentally or economically viable. There are local schemes in operation run by Telereal Trillium or employees, but due to the administrative difficulties created by their small scale and informal nature, data are not collected.
	Minimal food waste is generated within sites as the majority of food preparation is done off site, with ready to serve products delivered. Data on food waste have only been collected since last financial year and are detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Food Waste 
			   Kgs 
			 2008-09 39,755 
			 2009-10 51,489 
		
	
	This is either disposed by way of maceration to the foul sewer or within the general waste stream and is included within the landfill figures.
	Electrical and electronic equipment remains the property of our private sector partners, who manage and control the waste disposal. While duty of care is assured, we do not routinely collect management information on the volumes involved as it is not, strictly and legally, our waste.
	Clean paper and cardboard waste is segregated and recycled securely, by cross shedding and pulping. All remaining office waste, often resulting from food and drink bought in by our employees, is disposed of to landfill. The following table provides information on the volumes of general office waste generated over the last three years:-
	
		
			   Total waste volume (tonnes)  Recycled securely (paper/card) (%)  Disposed landfill (%) 
			 2006-07 22,323 67 33 
			 2007-08 20,343 64 36 
			 2008-09 19,514 66 34

Electronic Government: Publicity

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions which  (a) actors,  (b) musicians and  (c) other performers were used to support the directgov advertisement, Go DirectGov.

Jim Knight: The artists featured in the Directgov advertisement are Nick Moran, Honor Blackman, Janet Street Porter, Christopher Biggins, Kelly Brook and Graham McPherson (popularly known as 'Suggs'). Helen Mirren provided the voiceover. It should be noted that negotiations on the involvement of these artists in the project were conducted by the COI and all of the above agreed to participate in the project for a fraction of their normal commercial rate.
	Directgov has the potential to enable Government to make substantial savings in shifting from traditional to digital channels. For those savings to be realised, it is vital that the public are aware of and trust Directgov as the Government's official website. The aim of the campaign is to increase awareness so that Directgov is the first site people think of for Government information, and one which they both trust and recommend to others.

Employment and Support Allowance

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 26 October 2009,  Official Report, columns 151-52W, on employment and support allowance, what information her Department holds on the reasons for which claimants of employment and support allowance stopped claiming before their assessment was completed; and if she will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 21 January 2010
	The information is not available.

Future Jobs Fund

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many of the 95,000 jobs announced through the Future Jobs Fund will start between October 2009 and March 2010.

Jim Knight: The Government have approved over 250 bids to the Future Jobs Fund, which will create up to 104,000 jobs. This is an ongoing, demand-led programme and we are working with successful bidders to ensure that as many jobs as possible are filled as quickly as possible. We expect that a significant proportion will start before March 2010 subject to job availability and recruitment processes.

Future Jobs Fund

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Future Jobs Fund jobs have been confirmed; and how many of them are guaranteed to  (a) be permanent,  (b) last for up to three months,  (c) last for between three and six months,  (d) last for between six and nine months,  (e) last for between nine and 12 months,  (f) last for more than one year and  (g) last for more than two years.

Jim Knight: The first six bidding rounds will create up to 104,000 Future Jobs Fund jobs. While all Future Jobs Fund jobs must last a minimum of six months some bidders have decided to make their jobs last longer, however we do not have a breakdown of the expected durations.

Housing Benefit

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 5 January 2010,  Official Report, column 116W, on housing benefit, what guidance her Department and its agencies has issued to rent officers on the assessment of the appropriate level of housing benefit on a caravan or mobile home site which does not have planning permission.

Helen Goodman: None; it is for the local authority to establish whether a liability for rent exists, a rent officer would make their usual determinations of reasonable rents on a tenancy referred to them.

Housing Benefit: Young People

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many  (a) men and  (b) women under the age of 18 years were in receipt of housing benefit on the latest date for which figures are available.

Helen Goodman: As at October 2009, the most recent available information, there were 11,920 recipients of housing benefit in Great Britain who were under 18 years of age. The information is not available broken down by gender.
	 Source:
	Single Housing Benefit Extract (SHBE).

Members: Correspondence

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when she plans to respond to the letter of 18 August 2009 from the right hon. Member for Banff and Buchan on his constituent from Fraserburgh.

Jim Knight: I replied to the right hon. Member on 20 January 2010 and I apologise again for the time taken to do so. The delay was caused by an administrative oversight.

Pensioners: Council Tax Benefits

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the percentage take-up-rate of council tax benefit was amongst pensioners in  (a) 1996-97 and  (b) the most recent year for which figures are available.

Helen Goodman: The latest estimates of take-up of means-tested benefits in Great Britain, covering income support, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit and jobseeker's allowance (income-based) are published in Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-Up in 2007-08. Copies of this and past reports are available in the Library and online at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/irb_arc.asp

Pensioners: Council Tax Benefits

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons the £200 payment to pensioners to assist with council tax bills made in March 2005 has not been repeated.

Angela Eagle: We always made it clear that the Government's commitment was to make the £200 payment to help with council tax bills for the year 2005-06 only.

Pensioners: Crisis Loans

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 9 December 2009,  Official Report, column 408W, on crisis loans, how many and what proportion of crisis loan alignment payments were made to pensioners in the same quarter; and if she will make a statement.

Helen Goodman: The available information is given in the table.
	
		
			  Alignment payment final awards in Great Britain by quarter for people in the pensioner client group 
			  Quarter  Number  Proportion of total crisis loan alignment final awards (percentages) 
			 January to March 2007 550 0.4 
			 April to June 2007 550 0.4 
			 July to September 2007 490 0.3 
			 October to December 2007 460 0.3 
			 January to March 2008 480 0.3 
			 April to June 2008 650 0.3 
			 July to September 2008 680 0.3 
			 October to December 2008 590 0.3 
			 January to March 2009 720 0.3 
			  Notes:  1. The information provided is management information. The preference is to answer all parliamentary questions using official/National Statistics but in this case only management information is available. It is not quality assured to the same extent as official/National Statistics and there are some issues with the data, for example, they do not include applications which were processed clerically and have not yet been entered on to the Social Fund computer system.  2. The alignment payment classification is based on the reason for the application, as opposed to the purpose of the award, which may be different.  3. Awards are final awards and include awards made on review (but only one award is counted for each application which is successful either initially and/or on review).  4. Numbers of alignment payment final awards have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  DWP scans of the Social Fund Computer System.

Pensions: Temporary Employment

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment her Department made of the effects on competition in the temporary and agency work sector of the four-year staging period for implementation of the Pensions Act 2008.

Angela Eagle: The challenge of implementing these reforms is unprecedented with over a million employers and over 10 million people affected.
	In order to deliver the workplace pension reforms successfully, we are intending to stage in the new employer duties over a four-year period, starting with large employers, medium and then small.
	Inevitably, staging of employers by size, including the temporary and agency sector, can affect the ability of all employers to compete with each other in the short term as some employers will face the cost of administering the reforms and contributing to their employees' pensions sooner than employers staged later.
	We considered a number of approaches to staging, including segmenting employers by random selection, by industry type or by geographical region. We believe that staging by size offers the best balance of maximising deliverability while minimising employer burdens and competition impacts.
	We believe that any impacts on competition will be short-term and outweighed by the overall positive benefits of our approach.
	To further minimise competition issues we are also ensuring that employers will be required to contribute 1 per cent. of qualifying earnings throughout the staging period, before all employers move, at the same time, to 2 per cent. contributions, then 3 per cent.

Roads: Snow and Ice

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what guidance the Health and Safety Executive has published on clearing pavements, roads and paths of ice and snow; what assessment has it made of the public legal liability implications of members of the public clearing public paths and pavements; and what discussions it has had with the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health on the issue.

Jonathan R Shaw: Guidance on slips, trips and falls in the context of health and safety at work legislation is available on the HSE website. This includes guidance on dealing with the effects of severe weather.
	The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 is a criminal law statute that is aimed at protecting workers and others who may be affected by work activities. It is enforced by HSE, local authorities, the Office of Rail Regulation, and other bodies such as the Crown Prosecution Service who can prosecute for breaches of that legislation.
	Civil actions under, for example, the law of negligence are a matter for individuals and their legal advisers and do not concern HSE. It would be inappropriate for HSE to make an assessment of the public legal liability implications of members of the public clearing public paths and pavements.
	The statement issued by my right hon.. friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government on 12 January 2010, made clear that
	....there is nothing in health and safety legislation to prevent a person taking sensible steps to clear a pathway to improve the situation, or volunteer to do shopping for a neighbour in need. Nor should anybody who volunteers to support their community feel they are in danger of being sued and be put off wanting to help others.
	HSE was contacted by IOSH following publication of misleading media reports about the advice IOSH gives to businesses on clearing snow. HSE provided a link from its website to the clarification published on IOSH's site on 11 January.

Social Security (Students and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008

Janet Dean: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the average annual cost of implementing the Social Security (Students and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008; and whether her Department received additional funding from the Exchequer to implement that Regulation;
	(2)  what estimate she has made of the number of students who have received assistance under the provisions of the Social Security (Students and Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2008.

Helen Goodman: There was no significant financial impact from these changes over and above the cost of the annual uprating of disregards for books and equipment and travel costs applicable to student income.
	We do not collect information on the number of students who receive the disregard on books and equipment.

Social Security Benefits: Autism

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps her Department is taking to assist people with autism to obtain support available to them through the benefits system.

Jonathan R Shaw: Jobcentre Plus Advisers support autistic people who are seeking employment, and in their applications for benefits. Where the customer has more complex support needs they can be referred to a disability employment adviser who will have received further levels of skills training appropriate to their customers, including skills practice in interviewing an autistic person. Disability employment advisers can also advise on suitable employment opportunities, approach employers on behalf of customers and arrange for further help to be provided by a work psychologist.
	Jobcentre Plus have a number of specialist programmes such as Work Preparation, Residential Training and WORKSTEP (a programme of supported employment) that can help autistic people move into paid work.
	The Work Choice programme will be introduced in October 2010 to replace WORKSTEP and Work Preparation. The new programme will be more flexible to respond to the individual needs of disabled people and their employers. It will be aimed specifically at customers who, by reason of significant disability, cannot be helped by Jobcentre Plus mainstream programmes.
	Autistic people going into paid work may be able to get support from Access to Work, which can provide practical advice and support to disabled people and their employers to help them overcome work-related obstacles resulting from disability. It does this through a system of grants towards the cost of providing support, such as a job coach, to settle an autistic customer into work. Access to Work can also support autistic customers by paying for the customer's colleagues to receive awareness training on autism.

Social Security Benefits: Debts

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the 10 largest benefit debts owed to her Department by individuals were at the latest date for which figures are available; and to which principal benefit the debts related in each such case.

Helen Goodman: holding answer 14 January 2010
	From October 2009 we have set up a special task force to address debtors who owe the Department over £10,000. This will include debtors who have more than one debt.
	Since its inception, the task force has recovered an additional £1.2 million between mid October 2009 and the early January 2010 from the high value debtors.
	Since 2005-06, the Department has increased recoveries from £180 million per year to over £280 million.
	We try to stop overpayments occurring in the first place. The Department's error reduction strategy will help to achieve this. It is based on preventing new error from entering the system; ensuring that customers and staff comply with benefit rules and identifying and correcting existing errors.
	The 10 largest debts owed to the Department are as follows. These all relate to income support.
	£136,567.94
	£111,529.90
	£105,028.81
	£103,823.07
	£101,430.23
	£99,105.49
	£98,689.61
	£98,149.32
	£96,657.81
	£95,531.98.

Social Security Payments: Overpayments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how long on average her Department took to investigate alleged instances of benefit overpayment following the death of the claimant in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 January 2010
	Our investigations start when the Department receives details of the grant of probate. Those probate records are then matched against departmental records of deceased income related benefit recipients. In the majority of such cases no discrepancy with the records is identified. In those cases where further inquiries are required, the average time taken to complete those inquiries is 15 weeks. This is from receipt of the probate, including obtaining information from the executor, and ending with a formal claim on the estate.
	We handle such cases as sensitively as possible, taking into account that this can be a particularly stressful time if the executor is a close friend or family member.

Social Security Payments: Overpayments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions her Department has had with the Law Society on the number of personal estates that are prevented from winding up because of an ongoing investigation into alleged benefit overpayments by her Department.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 January 2010
	No such discussions have taken place with the Law Society.

Social Security Payments: Overpayments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much her Department spent on investigating alleged benefit overpayments to claimants in the last 12 months in cases where the claimant had since deceased.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 January 2010
	The information is not available in the format requested, but is available for the last financial year. £3.0 million was spent during the year 2008-09 on investigating potential benefit overpayments in cases where the claimant was deceased, resulting in recoveries of £28.7 million.
	 Source:
	Shared Services Debt Manager via Business Objects.

Social Security Payments: Overpayments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many cases of alleged benefit overpayments her Department investigated on cases where the claimants had since died in each of the last five years.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 January 2010
	Information on the number of investigations of potential benefit overpayments where the customer has since died is based on the volume of probate records that matched with deceased benefit recipients' records. This information is held only for the last two years.
	
		
			   Number of cases where probate match received  Number of those cases where a claim was made against the estate 
			 2007-08 51,829 6,492 
			 2008-09 67,021 7,356 
			  Source: Shared Services Debt Manager via Business Objects.

Social Security Payments: Overpayments

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much money her Department recovered from the estates of recently deceased benefit claimants who had received overpayment of benefit in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: holding answer 18 January 2010
	The information is not available in the format requested, but is available for the last financial year. The total recovered for 2008-09 was £28.7 million.
	 Source:
	Shared Services Debt Manager via Business Objects.

State Retirement Pensions: Payments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many state pension payments were delayed in each month of 2009; what the monetary value of such payments was in each such month; and for what reasons a state pension payment may be delayed.

Angela Eagle: The information on numbers and values of delayed state pension payments is not available.
	Delays in making a payment of benefit may be occasioned by all manner of factors including, but not limited to, customers failing to provide necessary evidence, volumes of work, inadvertent error or oversight and, delays in the banking or postal system. The PDCS do their utmost to ensure that any delays caused by factors within their control are kept to a minimum.
	PDCS performance against clearance times are demonstrated in the following table:
	
		
			  State pension clearance times 
			  Target 2008-09 and 2009-10, to clear 95 per cent. of new claims for state pension within 60 days 
			  2009  Percentage 
			 January 97.66 
			 February 98.06 
			 March 98.26 
			 April 97.55 
			 May 97.85 
			 June 97.51 
			 July 97.51 
			 August 98.00 
			 September 98.26 
			 October 98.72 
			 November 98.98 
			 December 98.75 
			  Source: Pension Service Legacy System.

Winter Fuel Payments: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners resident in Birmingham are in receipt of winter fuel allowance; and how much her Department paid to such pensioners in winter fuel allowance in 2009.

Angela Eagle: For winter 2008-09 (the last year for which information is available), 167,020 people received a winter fuel payment in Birmingham at a cost of £39 million.
	 Notes:
	1. Payment figures are rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Expenditure figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 million.

Winter Fuel Payments: Scotland

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate she has made of the number of claimants of winter fuel payment in  (a) Dunfermline and West Fife constituency and  (b) Scotland who have had their claim wrongly refused because of administrative error.

Angela Eagle: The information requested is not available.

Work Capability Assessment

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many medical assessments were carried out in respect of claims for  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) employment and support allowance in (i) the UK, (ii) England and (iii) Milton Keynes in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those assessed were deemed eligible for those benefits on (A) initial assessment and (B) appeal.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on the number of medical assessments completed is not available for Milton Keynes. Additionally, the DWP is not responsible for the administration of incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance in Northern Ireland. Information is available for Great Britain and England. This is provided in the following tables.
	
		
			  Total number of incapacity benefit scrutiny and completed examinations 
			   GB  England 
			 September 2005 to August 2006 816,043 653,704 
			 September 2006 to August 2007 985,598 789,899 
			 September 2007 to August 2008 1,068,920 857,992 
			 September 2008 to August 2009 717,250 507,748 
			 September 2009 to December 2009 140,423 106,006 
			  Source: DWP medical services contract management information 
		
	
	
		
			  Total number of employment and support allowance scrutiny and completed examinations 
			   September 2008 to August 2009  September 2009 to December 2009 
			 GB 197,073 142,757 
			 England 158,024 117,541 
			  Notes: 1. Management information held by the Department does not separately identify PCA assessments in respect of initial claims to benefit, as all referrals were in respect of customers in receipt of incapacity benefit. 2. Excludes work focused health related assessments. 3. Data relate to the number of completed medical examinations and paper scrutiny clearances completed by Atos Healthcare.  Source: DWP medical services contract management information 
		
	
	Information on the number of initial awards following these referrals is not available.
	Data on appeals relating to IB claims are not held centrally. Detailed information relating to the work capability assessment for employment support allowance claims in Great Britain was published in October 2009 and is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_arc.asp
	A copy of the publication is available in the Library and details the number of initial assessments carried out since the introduction of employment and support allowance, a breakdown of the result of the assessment, including the fit for work decision and separate information relating to work capability assessment appeals.
	Data relating specifically to work capability assessment appeals are reproduced in the table:
	
		
			  Work capability assessment appeals heard on 'fit for work' decisions-data to end of August 2009 
			   Number 
			 Appeals heard 4,900 
			 DWP decision upheld 3,300 
			 Decision in favour of appellant 1,500 
			  Notes: 1. Includes clerical assessments, we can infer that an appeal that links to a clerical assessment was very likely to be against a 'fit for work' decision. 2. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to Tribunal Service and heard, a limited volume of appeals heard data are held currently. Volumes will increase in the coming months as more appeals are processed giving a more robust picture of appeal volumes and outcomes. It will then be possible to link this information to the WCA data and provide information on proportions appealing. 3. Figures rounded to the nearest 100.

Work Capability Assessment

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many medical assessments were carried out for  (a) incapacity benefit and  (b) employment and support allowance in (i) the UK, (ii) England, (iii) the West Midlands and (iv) Birmingham in each of the last five years; and what proportion of those assessed were deemed eligible for those benefits on (A) initial assessment and (B) appeal.

Jonathan R Shaw: Information on the number of medical assessments completed is not available for Birmingham. Additionally, the DWP is not responsible for the administration of incapacity benefit and employment and support allowance in Northern Ireland. Information is available for Great Britain, England and the west midlands. This is provided in the following tables:
	
		
			  Incapacity benefit scrutiny and completed examinations 
			  Number 
			   September 2005 to August 2006  September 2006 to August 2007  September 2007 to August 2008  September 2008 to August 2009  September 2009 to December 2009 
			 Great Britain 816,043 985,598 1,068,920 717,250 140,423 
			 England 653,704 789,899 857,992 507,748 106,006 
			 West midlands 78,502 95,421 91,396 62,592 15,122 
			  Source:  DWP medical services contract management information. 
		
	
	
		
			  Employment and support allowance scrutiny and examinations 
			  Number 
			   September 2008 to August 2009  September 2009 to December 2009 
			 Great Britain 197,073 142,757 
			 England 158,024 117,541 
			 West midlands 16,861 13,256 
			  Notes:  1. Management Information held by the Department does not separately identify PCA assessments in respect of initial claims to benefit, as all referrals were in respect of customers in receipt of incapacity benefit.  2. Excludes work focused health related assessments.  3. Data relate to the number of completed medical examinations and paper scrutiny clearances completed by Atos Healthcare.   Source:  DWP medical services contract management information. 
		
	
	Information on the number of initial awards following these referrals is not available.
	Data on appeals relating to IB claims are not held centrally. Detailed information relating to the work capability assessment for employment support allowance claims in Great Britain was published in October 2009 and is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_ wca_arc.asp
	A copy of the publication is available in the Library and details the number of initial assessments carried out since the introduction of employment and support allowance, a breakdown of the result of the assessment, including the fit for work decision and separate information relating to work capability assessment appeals.
	Data relating specifically to work capability assessment appeals are reproduced in the following table:
	
		
			  Work capability assessment appeals heard on 'Fit for Work' decisions, data to end of August 2009 
			   Number 
			 Appeals heard 4,900 
			 DWP decision upheld 3,300 
			 Decision in favour of appellant 1,500 
			  Notes:  1. Includes clerical assessments, we can infer that an appeal that links to a clerical assessment was very likely to be against a 'fit for work' decision.  2. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to Tribunal Service and heard, a limited volume of appeals heard data are held currently. Volumes will increase in the coming months as more appeals are processed giving a more robust picture of appeal volumes and outcomes. It will then be possible to link this information to the work capability assessment data and provide information on proportions appealing.  3. Figures rounded to the nearest hundred.

Working Tax Credit: Disabled

Mark Harper: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to her Department's White Paper on Building Britain's Recovery, how many people are in receipt of the disabled worker element of working tax credit; and when she expects to publish the results of her Department's review of the transfer of those in receipt of employment and support allowance to the disabled worker element of working tax credit upon moving into employment.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply.
	Snapshot estimates of the number of households benefiting from the disabled worker element of working tax credits (WTC), as at December 2009, are available in table 5.1 of the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) publication Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics, December 2009, available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	The Department for Work and Pensions' White Paper Building Britain's Recovery. Achieving Full Employment announced that the Government will consider the scope to passport people moving from employment and support allowance into work on to the disabled worker element and 16-hours rule in WTC. HMRC is exploring this proposal through consultation with the Department's Disability Working Group, which includes representatives of people with disabilities. This work will report to HMRC's Benefits and Credits Consultation Group; minutes of the Consultation Group are published at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/meetings.htm

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Afghanistan: Corruption

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  pursuant to the Answer of 26 November 2009,  Official Report, column 300W, on Afghanistan: corruption, how many officials from his Department are seconded to the multi-agency task force to support the implementation of an anti-corruption strategy in Afghanistan;
	(2)  from which Government Departments other than his Department staff have been seconded to the multi-agency task-force.

Douglas Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	The multi-agency task force draws on 12 members of the British embassy in Kabul: three members from the Department for International Development, two from the Serious Organised Crimes Agency and seven members assigned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that post sent to UK aid workers and others working in Afghanistan is processed as quickly as possible through Pakistan.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 11 January 2010
	As stated in our Travel Advice, conditions in Afghanistan mean we are only able to provide a very limited Consular service. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not offer a Poste Restante service. It is the responsibility of the individual or their employer to ensure that sufficient arrangements are in place for their mail and other support services in Afghanistan.

Bi-Communal Civil Society Links

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of progress in the development of bi-communal civil society links in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Government have not made such an assessment. However, we continue to support events, activities and groups aimed at bringing Greek and Turkish Cypriots together and building inter-communal trust.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the prospects for success of the intensified round of settlement talks in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: The Government welcome the intensification of negotiations in search of an agreed settlement for the benefit of all Cypriots. Discussions so far have taken place in a positive and constructive atmosphere, with the aim of seeking greater convergence in the governance and power sharing chapter. We urge all parties to approach the negotiations in a spirit of compromise. The leaders have the support of the international community; we hope they will capitalise on this unique opportunity to find a solution.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcomes were of  (a) his discussions with his Turkish counterpart on 12 January 2010 and  (b) the Minister of Europe's recent visit to Turkey in relation to (i) Cyprus and (ii) Turkey's EU accession process; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the Turkish Foreign Minister welcomed the intensified settlement talks in Cyprus. The Secretary of State also reiterated the UK's support for Turkey's EU membership and encouraged Turkey to continue making the necessary reforms.
	I discussed both issues in my meeting with the Turkish EU Chief Negotiator, and noted that a settlement in Cyprus was a key objective for Turkey. I made clear the UK's support for Turkey's EU membership and announced jointly with the EU Chief Negotiator the establishment of a UK-Turkey joint Environmental Task Force to help Turkey meet European standards in environmental issues and climate change. I underlined the importance of Turkey's compliance with the Ankara Protocol.

Cyprus: Politics and Government

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with the distribution of the 259 million euros allocated by the EU to northern Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: Over 99 per cent. of the EU aid package was allocated to individual projects by the European Commission before the deadline of 18 December 2009. A total of 880 contracts, most of them grants, have been signed.

Cyprus: Property

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will revise his Department's guidance in relation to property development in the north of Cyprus in light of the Court of Appeal judgment of 19 January 2010 in the case of Apostolides  v. Orams.

Chris Bryant: Yes.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in December 2009.

Chris Bryant: In December 2009 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) paid 97.5 per cent. of supplier invoices within 10 days of receipt.
	The FCO is aware of the importance of paying suppliers promptly, and makes every effort to pay invoices as quickly as possible.

Departmental Food

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the quantity of food waste generated by his Department in each year for which figures are available.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office operates in hundreds of locations around the world, many of which have their own local opportunities, facilities and regulations regarding recycling and waste disposal. The information requested is therefore not held centrally and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. However, we encourage the sustainable use, re-use and recycling of products.

Departmental Waste

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what volume of waste his Department generated in each of the last three years; what percentage of this was  (a) paper,  (b) plastic,  (c) glass,  (d) metal,  (e) electrical goods and batteries and  (f) food waste; and what percentage of his Department's waste was (i) disposed of securely, (ii) disposed of in landfill and (iii) recycled.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office operates in hundreds of locations around the world, many of which have their own local opportunities, facilities and regulations regarding recycling and waste disposal. The information requested is therefore not held centrally and cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. However, we encourage the sustainable use, re-use and recycling of products.

EU Debate Programme

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many events have been held under his Department's EU debate programme; when and where they have been held; what the cost of the programme is; what panellists have attended the events; how many members of the public attended each debate; what further events are planned; and which panellists have been invited to attend further events.

Chris Bryant: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not currently have an EU debate programme but I am always happy to debate Europe with the hon. Member.

European External Action Service

Mark Francois: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of officials in the European External Action Service to be seconded from the diplomatic services of EU member states.

Chris Bryant: The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy is considering this question along with other issues involved in the establishment of the European External Action Service. As part of this consideration, the Council in October 2009 suggested that, when the European External Action Service has reached its full capacity, staff from member states should represent at least one third of European External Action Service staff, including staff in delegations.

G20: Greater London

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what authority smoking rooms were set up for participants in the G20 summit.

Chris Bryant: Smoking rooms were not provided. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my noble Friend Lord Darzi of Denham to the noble Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 24 March 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column WA111.

International Commission on Missing Persons

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the budget is for the UN Committee on Missing Persons in 2009-10; what recent assessment he has made of the progress the Committee has made in respect of its work in Cyprus; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Bryant: I visited the Committee last November and saw for myself the vital work it does in giving closure to the families of the missing persons and in promoting bi-communal cooperation in Cyprus. So far 596 sets of remains have been exhumed and the remains of 196 individuals identified and returned to their families (145 Greek Cypriot/51 Turkish Cypriot). This is an essential humanitarian task. According to the Committee on Missing Persons' website, their budget for 2009 is US $3,014,567.32. The Government fully support the Committee's work, have made direct donations, and donate to the annual budget via the EU.
	 Source:
	http://www.cmp-cyprus.org/media/attachments/CMP/CMP%20docs/CMP_Budget_2009.xls

International Summit and Conference

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the  (a) date,  (b) venue and  (c) cost of (i) accommodation, (ii) transport and (iii) security was of each international summit and conference hosted by HM Government and attended by the Prime Minister in each year since 2007.

Chris Bryant: holding answer 21 January 2010
	The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Isle of Man: Health Services

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on the ending of the UK's bilateral health arrangement with the Isle of Man.

Chris Bryant: None. Reciprocal health agreements are the responsibility of the Department of Health.

Kazakhstan: Foreign Relations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives he has set for UK foreign policy in respect of Kazakhstan.

Chris Bryant: The UK values its strong, open and growing relationship with Kazakhstan. This covers energy issues, regional and international security and stability, democratisation and human rights, the investment climate and drugs trafficking and terrorism.
	Energy security and supplies, together with the resultant commercial opportunities, are especially important. The UK is the third largest investor in Kazakhstan with over US$5 billion invested since independence in 1991. Bilateral trade is worth some US$3.5 billion annually.
	My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed issues of shared interest with Foreign Minister Saudabayev on 8 January 2010, including Afghanistan and Kazakhstan's priorities for its Chairmanship of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe in 2010.

Mexico: Foreign Relations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives he has set for UK foreign policy in respect of Mexico.

Chris Bryant: We are working closely with Mexico on climate change ahead of the Conference Of Parties 16 in Mexico; on UN Security Council business during Mexico's two-year term as a non-permanent member; and, on responses to the international financial crisis through G8+5 and G20 mechanisms. We also work hard to strengthen bilateral trade and investment and encourage open markets.
	In addition, we pay close attention to human rights and sustainable development issues in Mexico, and support projects locally. We work with Mexico on tackling the drugs trade and organised crime; and on supporting the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals.

Nigeria

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet representatives of relevant non-governmental organisations and representatives of the government of Nigeria to discuss child witchcraft stigmatisation and abandonment in that country.

Ivan Lewis: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary currently has no plans to meet representatives of relevant non-governmental organisations and representatives of the Government of Nigeria concerning child witchcraft stigmatisation and abandonment in that country.
	However, our high commissioner in Abuja is in contact with the Governor of Akwa Ibom State which has been the focus of that problem. Our high commission has also sponsored a public enlightenment campaign in Akwa Ibom State and the work of a shelter that provides refuge and rehabilitation for victims.
	We will continue to raise any human rights concerns we have in Nigeria with the Government of Nigeria, at all levels.

Palestinians: International Assistance

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government policy is on the legality under international law of the blockade of Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: While there is no permanent physical Israeli presence in Gaza, given the significant control that Israel has over Gaza's borders, airspace and territorial waters, we consider Israel to retain obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention as an occupying power. The Fourth Geneva Convention is clear that an occupying power must co-operate in allowing the passage and distribution of relief consignments.
	We have made our concerns about Israeli restrictions very clear and will continue to press the Israeli Government to ease them.

South Africa

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations his Department has made to the government of South Africa to seek to ensure that street children are not forcefully rounded up and removed from the streets in the lead-up to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa.

Ivan Lewis: Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials have made no representations to the Government of South Africa on the issue of street children.
	Our high commission in Pretoria is supporting the Deloitte Street Child World Cup (SCWC):
	www.streetchildworldcup.org
	which will take place in Durban in March 2010. The SCWC will celebrate the potential of street children and place them centre stage in a new call for their rights to be realised.

Southern Africa: Travel Information

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has recently altered its travel advice in respect of areas close to the Cabinda province of Angola.

Ivan Lewis: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office made one amendment to its Travel Advice for Angola after the attack on the Togo football team on 8 January 2010. This amendment was a factual reference to the attack. The Travel Advice against all but essential travel to the interior of Cabinda province has been in place since June 2004.

Sri Lanka: EU External Trade

Edward Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the EU to make a final decision on existing preferential trade concessions for Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: I have been asked to reply.
	The EU will make a final decision on the withdrawal of existing preferential trade concessions (GSP+) for Sri Lanka on or before the 15 February 2010.

Turkmenistan: Foreign Relations

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aims and objectives he has set for UK foreign policy in respect of Turkmenistan.

Chris Bryant: Our priority is to support Turkmenistan in becoming a stable and prosperous partner for the UK and EU. Turkmenistan can play a key role in the development of a Southern Corridor bringing gas from the Caspian region to the EU, and help diversification of supply routes to ensure energy security. To that end, we and our EU partners supported Turkmenistan's initiative for a UN resolution on the secure transit of energy supplies. UK companies are expressing interest in and seeking to develop business links with Turkmenistan.
	We remain concerned about the human rights situation in Turkmenistan and will continue to raise these concerns in critical but constructive contacts with the Turkmen Government and via the EU human rights dialogue with Turkmenistan. There have been some improvements but further action is needed. The UK has provided practical support on reform of the penal code and media, and strengthening the rule of law.

TREASURY

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions the then Chancellor of the Exchequer had with the Secretary of State for Defence on the availability of funding for the purchase of military helicopters to be used for future services in Afghanistan in the period between 2002 and 2004; and what response was made to each request by the Secretary of State for Defence for funding to purchase such helicopters in this period.

Liam Byrne: The Treasury received no requests for additional funding from the Reserve for the purchase of new helicopters for Afghanistan between 2002 and 2004.
	Decisions on priorities for spending within MOD's allocated core budget settlement are a matter for the Secretary of State on the advice of the service chiefs of staff.

Banks: Iceland

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Government reached a binding agreement with the Government of Iceland on the repayment of that country's debt to the UK prior to the Government's agreement to reimburse UK savers who had deposited funds in Icelandic banks.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government received assurances from the Icelandic Government that it would meet its legal obligations under EEA law and would repay the UK Government for the money it had paid out to Icesave depositors on behalf of the Icelandic Depositors and Investors Guarantee Fund (DIGF). Those reassurances have been repeated many times including in Iceland's letter of intent to IMF.
	Last year, UK officials went to Reykjavik to agree the terms of a loan to reimburse the UK Government. On 5 June 2009, the UK Government entered into an agreement with Iceland and the DIGF which would enable the DIGF to refund the compensation paid out on its behalf by way of a loan from the UK. The loan agreement provided for Iceland to guarantee the repayment of the loan by DIGF. The loan agreement was amended in October 2009.
	The amended loan agreement has not yet come into force. A number of preconditions must be satisfied before the agreement will come into force, including the enactment by the Icelandic Parliament of a Bill authorising the guarantee given by Iceland under the amended loan agreement.

British Bankers' Association: Finance

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much each bank in receipt of public funding has spent on funding the British Bankers' Association since public funding was made available to it.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Government's interests in financial institutions are managed at arm's-length by UK Financial Investments Limited (UKFI). UKFI's Framework Agreement with HMT requires it to manage the investments on a commercial basis and not to intervene in day-to-day management decisions of the investee companies. Operational questions are a matter for the banks' boards.

Cheques

Don Touhig: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with  (a) the Payments Council and  (b) British banks on the development of a practical alternative to replace cheques following the proposed closure of the cheque clearing system in 2018;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the cost to small businesses of the proposed closure of the cheque clearing system in 2018;
	(3)  what steps his Department is planning to take to ensure that  (a) vulnerable people and  (b) small businesses will not be disadvantaged by the closure of the cheque clearing system in 2018;
	(4)  what assessment his Department has made of the effect on  (a) elderly and  (b) disabled people of the proposed closure of the cheque clearing system in 2018.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The closure of Cheque and Credit Clearing, the UK system that processes cheques, is a commercial decision for industry. The Payments Council, an independent body that sets the strategy for UK payment systems, will ultimately take this decision. The Government, however, recognise that certain groups still value cheques as an important method of payment.
	Before any final decision is made in 2016, and ahead of the closure of the cheque clearing system, the Council has committed to ensuring that adequate alternatives are in place for all users of cheques, in particular for users who are highly dependent on this method of payment.

Child Benefit

David Laws: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of child benefit claims in 2009-10 to date have not been processed within  (a) 20 days,  (b) 40 days,  (c) 60 days,  (d) 90 days and  (e) 120 days; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost, in light of the work required to construct an age profile of the processing of child benefit claims.
	For information about the timeliness of child benefit processing refer to the answer given on 5 January 2010,  Official Report , column 156W, to my right hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (John Battle).

Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit

David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps his Department has taken to ensure that  (a) child benefit and  (b) child tax credit are received by the parent with care in cases where the non-resident parent attempts to make a claim.

Stephen Timms: Where more than one person claims child benefit or child tax credit (CTC) for the same child, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will consider each claim in the light of the particular circumstances and the guidance published on its website at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/cbtmanual/CBTM08000.htm
	for child benefit; and
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/ntcmanual/applica_appl_wl/ntc0050230.htm
	for CTC.
	The HMRC website also provides advice for the people involved in these cases at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/childbenefit/start/claiming/more-than-one-claim.htm#4
	and
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits/start/who-qualifies/children/children-taxcredits.htm#1

Child Benefit and Child Tax Credit

David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how long on average it took to process a claim for  (a) child benefit and  (b) child tax credit in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: For information about the timeliness of  (a) child benefit and  (b) tax credits processing I refer to the answers given to the right hon. Member for Leeds West (John Battle) on 5 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 156W and 179W.
	Child tax credit and working tax credit are claimed on the same form so it is not possible to provide separate information relating solely to child tax credit processing.
	Performance outturn for 2009-10 will be published in due course.

Child Benefit: Complaints

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the  (a) average and  (b) longest time taken to resolve a child benefit complaint was in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08 and (iv) 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available.
	Information about the time taken to provide a substantive response to written complaints about child benefit is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Response times to written complaints received in child benefit office 
			  Cleared within  Percentage clearance  Cumulative percentage 
			  2005-06   
			 Less than 1 week 42 42 
			 1 to 2 weeks 23 65 
			 2 to 3 weeks 25 90 
			 3 to 4 weeks 4 94 
			 4 to 5 weeks 2 96 
			 Over 5 weeks 4 100 
			
			  2006-07   
			 Less than 1 week 30 30 
			 1 to 2 weeks 21 50 
			 2 to 3 weeks 37 87 
			 3 to 4 weeks 6 93 
			 4 to 5 weeks 2 95 
			 Over 5 weeks 5 100 
			
			  2007-08   
			 Less than 1 week 20 20 
			 1 to 2 weeks 24 44 
			 2 to 3 weeks 27 71 
			 3 to 4 weeks 7 78 
			 4 to 5 weeks 4 82 
			 Over 5 weeks 18 100 
			
			  2008-09   
			 Less than 1 week 15 15 
			 1 to 2 weeks 16 31 
			 2 to 3 weeks 25 56 
			 3 to 4 weeks 9 64 
			 4 to 5 weeks 5 70 
			 Over 5 weeks 30 100

Child Care Vouchers

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of childcare providers who have declined to accept payment through the childcare voucher scheme.

Stephen Timms: No such estimate has been made. The Government do not collect administrative data on the commercial use or acceptance of childcare vouchers provided under the Employer Supported Childcare scheme.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in December 2009.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Treasury paid 96.2 per cent. of invoices within 10 days in December 2009 against a target set by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills of 90 per cent.

Departmental Coordination

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what formal mechanisms are in place for co-operation between HM Revenue and Customs and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) work together on a daily basis to administer the UK's tax and welfare systems.
	While much of this contact is informal, a variety of formal mechanisms are established as required to facilitate policy development and the delivery of operational project.
	A full of list of these mechanisms is available only at disproportionate cost, as the information is not centrally held by either HMRC or DWP. Specific examples of formal joint arrangements include:
	The Pensions Reform Programme Board, which oversees HMRC IT and business changes needed to implement DWP's state pensions reforms;
	Pilot on small debt working, announced in a joint ministerial statement on 14 September 2009 and
	Employment and Support Allowance Project, which manages the implementation of changes to this allowance.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on  (a) strategy and planning,  (b) design and build,  (c) hosting and infrastructure,  (d) content provision and  (e) testing and evaluation for its websites in each of the last three years; and what budget was allocated to each category in 2009-10.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The costs of maintaining websites within the Chancellor of the Exchequer's responsibility in each of the last three years are as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Maintenance costs (£) 
			 2006-07 150,524 
			 2007-08 127,082 
			 2008-09 178,299 
			 2009-10 (forecast) 193,393 
		
	
	A detailed breakdown per category could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last three years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Details of the purchase of fixed assets can be found in the fixed asset note to the annual Report and Accounts from
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/dep_perf_reports_index.htm
	There have been no vehicles purchased by the Treasury in the last three years. Purchases of furniture are included within the figures for 'furniture and equipment' and works of art within the figures for 'antiques'.

Economic and Monetary Union

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government's Euro National Changeover Plan was last updated.

Ian Pearson: The Government's policy on membership of the single currency is unchanged. It remains as set out by the former Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.
	The third Euro National Changeover Plan was published on 9 June 2003. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library of the House.

Economic and Monetary Union

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the most recent version of the Integrated Communication Plan for the Euro Changeover.

Ian Pearson: The Third Outline National Changeover Plan was published in June 2003 and provides a comprehensive statement of how the Government would manage a UK changeover. It also includes information on our euro communication programme. A copy of this document has been deposited in the Library of the House.

Equitable Life Ex-gratia Payment Scheme Review

William Cash: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met Sir John Chadwick to discuss the payment of compensation to Equitable Life policyholders.

Liam Byrne: I am in regular contact with Sir John and receive regular updates on the progress of his work.
	The Government expect Sir John to submit his final report in spring 2010. Once the Government have had a chance to consider Sir John's advice, details of a payment scheme that is fair to both taxpayers and policyholders will be announced.

Excise Duties: Whisky

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much duty has been collected from the whisky industry in each of the last five years.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Historical receipts of duty collected from spirits can be found in Table 2 of the HM Revenue and Customs Spirits Bulletin, a copy of which can be found at:
	https://www.uktradeinfo.com/index.cfm?task=bullspirits
	Information on duty collected from whisky is not collected separately.

Government Departments: Procurement

Mark Hunter: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to ensure Government procurement policies provide equal opportunities to businesses regardless of size.

Ian Pearson: Government procurement policy requires that contracts be awarded through fair and open competition, in compliance with EU treaty principles and UK regulations implementing the EU procurement directives.
	Government are taking action to remove potential barriers to SME participation in public procurement. An OGC/BIS programme, Access for All, is currently making good progress in implementing the recommendations made in the Glover Committee report Accelerating the SME Economic Engine.

Government Departments: Procurement

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Government departments and agencies have participated in electronic auctions facilitated by  (a) the Office of Government Commerce and  (b) OGC.buyingsolutions in the last 12 months.

Ian Pearson: In the 12 months between 1 January to 31 December 2009 the Office of Government Commerce has facilitated two electronic auctions which have involved the following Government Departments and related agencies:
	HM Treasury
	Department for Transport
	London Development Agency
	In addition, 66 bodies for the wider public sector participated including local government, police forces and health bodies. These two e-auctions had a combined value of £75 million going into the auction and generated savings of £16.55 million.
	The following Government Departments and Agencies have participated in electronic auctions facilitated by Buying Solutions (formerly OGCbuying.solutions) in the same 12 month period:
	Department for Communities and Local Government
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	In addition, 32 bodies from the wider public sector also participated. The e-auctions facilitated by Buying Solutions had a combined value of £248.7 million going into the auction, and generated savings of £47.9 million

Holiday Accommodation

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of owners of furnished holiday letting properties who are over the state retirement age.

Stephen Timms: An estimated 16,000 individuals over state retirement age owned properties used for furnished holiday lettings in 2007-08.

Hotels

David Drew: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many hotel room nights were booked by officials in  (a) his Department and  (b) its agencies in each year since 2007; and how much (i) his Department and (ii) its agencies have spent on fees of third party agents in relation to booking hotel accommodation in each such year.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: In 2008-09 the following room nights were booked by Ministers and officials through the booking firm used by the Department and its agencies-HM Treasury 1,074, the Debt Management Office 11 and the Office of Government Commerce 1,990. This information may not be a complete record of all room nights booked as accommodation can be booked by directly by staff. Information on room nights booked in 2007-08 is not available. The Department does not pay third party agency fees but does receive a share of the commission earned by the booking firms.

Housing: Finance

Bob Neill: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on the contribution of that Department towards the housing expenditure in the Draft Legislative Programme for 2009-10.

Liam Byrne: The Government announced via Building Britain's Future on 29 June 2009 that they would invest a further £1.5 billion over the next two years to build an extra 20,000 new energy efficient, good quality, social and affordable homes, and a further 10,000 additional homes for private sale. The funding of the measure included a contribution from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) of £100 million, with a possible further contribution as part of the £340 million anticipated capital underspends in the Department of Health, DCSF, and the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Housing: Valuation

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency's Rent Service handbook for valuing rental property for housing benefit purposes.

Ian Pearson: The Valuation Office Agency's Rent Officer Handbook has been published on the VOA website and can be accessed via the following link:
	http://www.voa.gov.uk/instructions/chapters/ROH/Frame.htm
	In addition a hard copy will be placed in the Library.

Imports: Morocco

Mark Williams: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how much has been received by the Exchequer in duties collected from companies importing  (a) produce and  (b) goods into the UK from Moroccan settlements in occupied Western Sahara in the last 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many consignments of Moroccan goods entered the UK in each of the last three years.

Stephen Timms: As a member of the European Union, the UK operates European Union customs legislation and tariff measures at its borders. European customs procedures do not contain a separate country code for Western Sahara. The absence of a specific country code means that the information requested is not available, and it is not possible to put in place the monitoring procedure requested.
	The information requested on imports into the UK from Morocco are provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Consignments imported into the UK from Morocco 
			   Number  Value (£) 
			 2007 91,972 409,919,889 
			 2008 73,580 406,090,728 
			 2009 59,962 302,691,526

Income Tax: Low Incomes

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of working  (a) men and  (b) women earning less than the income tax personal allowance threshold in each local authority area;
	(2)  what his Department's most recent estimate is of the number of working  (a) men and  (b) women earning less than £10,000 per annum and paying income tax resident in each local authority area.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not available, due to the small sample sizes at local authority area with the Survey of Personal Incomes and non-representative data for non-taxpayers.
	Information on income tax by unitary authority can be found in table 3.14 Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority, available at:
	www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income distribution/menu-by-year.htm#314
	These estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes, of which 2006-07 is the latest available period.
	Any inference from the information in table 3.14 should take into account the confidence intervals in table 3.14a Income and tax by borough and district or unitary authority, Confidence Intervals.

Local Government: Cost Effectiveness

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to page 109 of the pre-Budget report 2009, Cm 7747, whether the expected £550 million of savings from local government are to be achieved from local government in  (a) England or  (b) the UK.

Liam Byrne: The £550 million of savings identified in the 2009 pre-Budget report relate to local government in England only.

Local Government: Cost Effectiveness

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to page 109 of the pre-Budget report 2009, what proportion of the planned £550 million of local government savings will be from more efficient waste collection and disposal; and how such savings will be achieved.

Liam Byrne: The pre-Budget report sets out a number of areas where local government will be able to find significant efficiencies by 2012-13. Treasury officials have worked closely with Communities and Local Government and DEFRA officials to establish that waste collection and disposal is one area where significant savings are achievable. However, it is for individual local authorities to make efficiencies based on local priorities and use of resources in these and other services.

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tenanted properties were repossessed by mortgage lenders from landlord owners in  (a) England and  (b) Coventry between 2005 and 2009; what assistance his Department provides to tenants who are evicted as a result of such repossessions; and what recent representations his Department has received on the matter.

Ian Austin: I have been asked to reply.
	The issue of tenants being evicted at short notice as a result of landlord repossession was raised with the Department in early 2009. Representations were received from the Council of Mortgage Lenders, Shelter, Crisis, Citizens Advice and the Chartered Institute of Housing. The problem of short notice eviction of tenants is due to a legal gap in protection.
	Tenants who receive notice that their landlord is to be repossessed by their lender should make themselves known to the lender as soon as possible in order that the lender can take them into account.
	In August 2009 the Government issued a consultation document-Lender repossession of residential property: protection of tenants. As a result of this consultation the Government are supporting a Private Members Bill being taken forward by Dr. Brian Iddon. Second reading of the Mortgage Repossessions (Protection of Tenants etc) Bill is to take place on 29 January. The Bill gives tenants the opportunity to request a delay to possession while they find alternative accommodation. The Bill was published on 22 January. The associated Impact Assessment was also made available on this date. The Impact Assessment makes some estimates of the numbers of tenants who have suffered short notice eviction as a result of landlord repossession.
	There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However both are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on repossessions is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2456
	The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Returns/IRR/statistics/

Mortgages: Repossession Orders

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of tenants who were evicted as a result of repossession of property by a mortgage lender in cases where landlords had not obtained the lender's permission to rent in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ian Austin: I have been asked to reply.
	There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA).
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on repossessions is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2456
	The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Doing/Regulated/Returns/IRR/statistics/
	Dr. Brian Iddon is taking forward a Private Members Bill The Protection of Tenants (Mortgage Repossessions) Bill which will have its second reading on 29 January. The associated Impact Assessment (which is available in the Library of the House) contains estimates of tenanted properties which were repossessed by lenders.

PAYE

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many income sources  (a) terminated and  (b) commenced during (i) 2006, (ii) 2007, (iii) 2008 and (iv) 2009.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost, as the data are not centrally held by HM Revenue and Customs' systems.

Portsmouth Gunwharf: Repayments

Mike Hancock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the owners of the Gunwharf site in Portsmouth have paid to the Exchequer in clawback payments; and on what date each instalment of such payments was received.

Kevan Jones: I have been asked to reply.
	Clawback payments totalling some £4 million were made in financial year 2002-03 by the owners of the Gunwharf site in Portsmouth. The precise details of those payments are regarded as commercially confidential, therefore, I am withholding the information as its disclosure would prejudice commercial interests.

Private Finance Initiative: Hertfordshire

Michael Penning: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many private finance initiative projects have been undertaken by his Department in  (a) Hertfordshire and  (b) Hemel Hempstead constituency in the last five years.

Liam Byrne: holding answer 18 January 2010
	The full list of all signed PFI projects can be found on HM Treasury's website at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/ppp_pfi_stats.htm
	For each PFI project, this list details the project name, the capital value, the constituency, the procuring authority and the annual unitary charge that needs to be paid over the life of the contract.

Public Expenditure

Philip Hammond: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost of preparing whole of Government accounts was in each year since 2000.

Liam Byrne: The costs of preparing whole of Government accounts is not readily available, as the information is spread and held across the approximate 1,200 bodies that contribute to the account. The information could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate expense.

Revenue and Customs: Banbury

Tony Baldry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether HM Revenue and Customs has plans for staff redundancies at the Banbury tax office.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) announced its decision to withdraw from the office at Crown Buildings, Banbury by spring 2011 on 17 July 2008 as part of the Department's Workforce Change programme. The office's closure will not affect enquiry centre services, which will continue to be provided at or near the current location.
	On 13 January 2010 HMRC announced that the office would close for business in 2010-11 and that staff who are unable to relocate are now eligible to apply for voluntary redundancy on compulsory terms. This affects 26 of the 32 staff currently working in Banbury. HMRC remains committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies wherever possible and will work to redeploy those staff who wish to remain in the Civil Service both within HMRC and to other Government departments.

Revenue and Customs: Complaints

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on reasons for which complaints were made to Revenue and Customs about its services in  (a) 2006,  (b) 2007,  (c) 2008 and  (d) 2009.

Stephen Timms: Since April 2007, HM Revenue and Customs has maintained a complaints database to help the Department understand why complaints are made and act to address this. Within the database, complaints are assigned to one of the following core categories: delay, staff conduct, process/system, policy/legislation, communication, misleading advice, loss/damage, mistake/error, compensation/costs claim and discrimination.
	Centrally held data are not available prior to April 2007.

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much in  (a) direct and  (b) indirect taxes was (i) collected and (ii) administered by HM Revenue and Customs' office in Elgin in each year since 2006.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost due to the work required to extract it from HM Revenue and Customs' systems.

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were based at HM Revenue and Customs and its predecessor organisations' office in Elgin in each year since 2006.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  As at 1 April  Headcount  FTE( 1) 
			 2006 5 5.00 
			 2007 5 5.00 
			 2008 5 5.00 
			 2009 1 1.00 
			 (1) FTE relates to full time equivalent

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps HM Revenue and Customs plans to take to retain the knowledge of the whisky industry of the staff at its Elgin office following the closure of that office.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: When the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office at Elgin closes the work undertaken there relating to the whisky industry will relocate to Aberdeen. HMRC's expectation is that the Elgin staff currently involved with the whisky industry would relocate with their work if able to do so, enabling them to use their existing skills and expertise alongside staff in Aberdeen with whisky industry experience already in place there.

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what consultation HM Revenue and Customs held with its staff based at Elgin over the workforce change programme;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the effect that the closure of the HM Revenue and Customs office in Elgin will have on the provision of face-to-face advice for clients; how far the nearest HM Revenue and Customs enquiry centre providing face-to-face advice for clients will be from Elgin following that closure; and what the estimated disposal costs are following the closure of the HM Revenue and Customs offices in Elgin.

Stephen Timms: Staff at the HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) office at Phoenix House, Elgin, were invited to give their views on the proposal to vacate the office during an eight week period from 11 June to 6 August 2008.
	Following the announcement on 4 December 2008 that HMRC would withdraw from Phoenix House, Elgin managers have held one-to-one meetings with staff to discuss their options, taking account of individual personal circumstances. A regional implementation team was set up to explore redeployment options and find suitable opportunities within HMRC and in other Government Departments and agencies. Seminars for all affected staff are being held, and further support is being planned for those staff who want to continue their civil service careers.
	Face to face advice services are not provided from HMRC's office at Phoenix House, Elgin. Inquiry centre services will be maintained at Buckie, which is approximately 13 miles from Elgin.
	HMRC occupies Phoenix House under contract with its estates provider, Mapeley, and this contract includes a high level of flexibility for HMRC to vacate properties at nil or limited cost during the life of the contract. HMRC intends to maximise the use of the contract's flexibility and until vacation plans for Phoenix House are finalised, it is not known whether disposal costs will be applicable.

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultation HM Revenue and Customs undertook with the representatives of the whisky industry over the closure of its office in Elgin.

Stephen Timms: Prior to the decision to close the office at Phoenix House, Elgin, HM Revenue and Customs consulted with staff and unions, customers, MPs, local authorities and town councils.

Revenue and Customs: Elgin

Angus Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assistance HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has offered staff at Elgin over the workforce change programme; whether HM Revenue and Customs plans any compulsory redundancies in respect of its staff at its offices in Elgin; and how many staff at those offices will be redeployed by HMRC to other locations.

Stephen Timms: Following the announcement on 4 December 2008 that HMRC would withdraw from its office at Phoenix House, Elgin, managers have held one-to-one meetings with staff to discuss their options, taking account of individual personal circumstances. A regional implementation team was set up to explore redeployment options and find suitable opportunities within HMRC and in other Government Departments and agencies. Seminars for all affected staff are being held, and further support is being planned for those staff who want to continue their civil service careers.
	There is one HMRC employee in Elgin for whom redeployment options are being explored. Staff who cannot be redeployed are eligible to be considered for voluntary redundancy on compulsory terms. HMRC is committed to avoiding compulsory redundancies wherever possible.

Revenue and Customs: Surveys

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the outcomes were of the HM Revenue and Customs  (a) Customer Journeys Individuals (two phases) and  (b) Complaints Tracking Research (three phases) survey completed since 2006.

Stephen Timms: The Customer journeys research is designed to help HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) understand interactions from the customer perspective The information and data from this research are used in analysis of our processes. A summary of this research is due to be published in line with HMRC's publication policy.
	The Complaints Tracking Research is a rolling survey of customers whose complaints have been finalised. The survey measures customer satisfaction with HMRC's complaints handling procedures and the information is used to improve the handling of complaints. A summary of the research is due to be published in line with HMRC's publication policy.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what proportion of calls to the tax credits helpline were terminated before being answered by an operator in  (a) the month preceding the tax credits renewal deadline and  (b) the full year of (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08 and (iv) 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is provided in the following tables. HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) have taken terminated to mean the number of calls that were played a busy message and which asked customers to ring back later together with the number of calls where the customer was placed into a queue to speak with an adviser, but abandoned the call before being connected.
	During peak periods, customers who cannot get through on their first attempt often use the redial facility on their telephone to make numerous successive calls which increases the number and proportion of unanswered calls.
	Performance during peak periods has shown significant improvement with HMRC handling over 74 per cent. of call attempts during the tax credits peak (April to July) in 2009-10 compared with 37 per cent. during the same period in 2008-09. The most recent results from HMRC's customer satisfaction survey shows a result of 89 per cent. for overall customer satisfaction, which compares well with private sector benchmark of 87 per cent.
	
		
			  Month preceding the renewal deadline  Number of busy and abandoned( 1)  calls (million)  Busy and abandoned calls (as a percentage of call attempts) 
			 July 2009 1.8 32 
			 July 2008 7.4 66 
			 July 2007 2.9 39 
			 August 2006 0.3 10 
			 September 2005 1.6 36 
		
	
	
		
			  Year/period  Number of busy and abandoned( 1)  calls (million)  Busy and abandoned calls (as a percentage of call attempts) 
			 2009-10 (April to November) 5.5 23 
			 2008-09 17.2 41 
			 2007-08 7.3 23 
			 2006-07 2.1 8 
			 2005-06 5.4 19 
			 (1) Abandoned, where the call was disconnected after the caller selected an option from the call steering menu, but before being connected to speak to an adviser.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009,  Official Report, column 590W, on HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), what measures and indicators HMRC uses to count the number and frequency of telephone calls that are  (a) not answered and  (b) not answered promptly.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs' Contact Centres, which handle the majority of HMRC telephone inquiries, use a variety of measures and indicators to gauge the level of performance. The main measures used to identify the number of calls which are not answered are the number of: engaged tones, busy messages played and calls abandoned in the queue.
	HMRC also measure the number of call attempts successfully handled, which gives another indication of unfulfilled demand.
	HMRC Contact Centres do not have a specific measure for calls that are not answered promptly, however in common with the wider call centre industry, the Department measures the number and percentage of calls that are offered into the queue to speak to an adviser and which are then answered within 20 seconds.

Revenue and Customs: Telephone Services

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what telephone lines are available for hon. Members to contact HM Revenue and Customs.

Stephen Timms: I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 22 January 2009,  Official Report, column 375W.

Slough

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of his Department's policies and actions since 2000.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Neighbourhood Statistics Service provides a wide range of statistical information at parliamentary constituency level, taken from the 2001 census and other sources. This service is available on the National Statistics website at
	http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk./
	The Government have put in place a broad programme of reform since 1997. Over the decade to 2007, the economic performance of all parts of the UK has improved considerably.
	The global recession has had a negative impact on economic activity in all parts of the UK. However, the economy was starting from a position of strength and is actively supported by policies implemented by the Government, including the fiscal stimulus and a significant package of support for those out of work.
	In Slough people are benefiting from this investment. Over the second half of 2009, more than 700 people moved off of the claimant count each month on average. The claimant count fell for two consecutive months in November and December and now stands more than 7 per cent. below its October level. Long-term unemployment is still 90 per cent. lower than in 2000 at the end of 2009.

Social Security Benefits

John Battle: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what the average length of time taken was for  (a) all claimant and  (b) claimants who are citizens of EU A8 and A2 countries of tax credits who dropped their claim before receiving payment between receipt and dropping of the claim in (i) 2005-06, (ii) 2006-07, (iii) 2007-08 and (iv) 2008-09;
	(2)  what proportion of  (a) tax credit and  (b) child benefit claims by (i) all claimants and (ii) claimants who were citizens of EU A8 and A2 countries did not result in payment in (A) 2005-06, (B) 2006-07, (C) 2007-08 and (D) 2008-09.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost, as HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) systems do not centrally capture information on the time between a claim for tax credits or child benefit being made and it being withdrawn or rejected.
	Tax credits and child benefit claims might not result in payment for several reasons. For example, claimants can withdraw their claim before it is awarded, eligibility criteria might not be met or claimants might not be entitled to tax credits because their income exceeds the upper threshold. Claims might also be withdrawn or rejected by HMRC for administrative reasons.
	Information about child benefit and tax credits claims made by nationals from A8 countries between May 2004 and March 2009 is included in the Accession Monitoring Report published by the Home Office UK Border Agency, available at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/aboutus/reports/accession_monitoring_report/
	Equivalent information about claimants from A2 countries is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  A2 Claims for child benefit-United Kingdom 
			  Period  Claims received  Claims approved  Claims rejected  Awards terminated 
			 2007-08 4,304 2,326 533 6 
			 2008-09 5,340 3,231 1,229 13 
			 Totals 9,644 5,557 1,762 19 
		
	
	
		
			  A2 Claims for tax credits-United Kingdom 
			  Period  Claims received  Claims approved  Claims rejected 
			 2007-08 990 556 75 
			 2008-09 1,263 931 134 
			 Totals 2,253 1,487 209 
			  Notes: 1. The tables show counts of events occurring in each period, as identified by HMRC monitoring, not the results of claims arriving in that period. If an A2 national appears in more than one claim then all his/her claims are included in this table. 2. The figures for 2007-08 include those for Quarter 1 in the calendar year 2007, to take account of the accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the EU on 1 January 2007. 3. The figures for 2008-09 are based on Quarters 2 to 4 in the calendar year 2008 and Quarter 1 in the calendar year 2009. 4. For both child benefit and tax credits, there are cases where a claim may be processed in a different month to that in which it was received and therefore the number of claims received will not total the number of approved and rejected claims. This is because once a claim is received HMRC makes further enquiries about the claimant's date of arrival in the UK and employment status, in order to ascertain whether the claimant has a right to reside.

Tax Allowances

Michael Fallon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of making the personal allowance transferable between members of couples individually subject to the basic rate of income tax who marry and have children after 1 April 2011 in each year from 2011-12 to 2015-16.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 18 January 2010
	The cost to the Exchequer of making the personal allowance transferable between couples individually subject to the basic rate of income tax, will depend on whether one or both members of the couple are subject to the basic rate of income tax; and if one, whether the intended focus is for second member to be subject to a higher rate of income tax, or alternatively a zero rate of income tax. Any answer would be highly dependent on these factors.

Taxation

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the status is of the national implementation programme for the In and Out of Work scheme.

Jim Knight: I have been asked to reply.
	Following evaluation of the initial trials and pilots in 2007 and 2008, implementation of the In and Out of Work processes has been rolling out nationally since October 2008.
	The In and Out of Work Project has been working to ensure the new service reaches all local authority areas in England, Scotland and Wales and to date, it has been implemented in 370 out of 408 authorities. Rollout is scheduled to be completed by March 2010.

Taxation

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many programmes for which HM Revenue and Customs is responsible have a verification procedure for access by users to  (a) their tax records and  (b) HM Revenue and Customs officials for discussions on their tax arrangements.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has a legal duty to protect the confidentiality of taxpayer information. Only authorised users may access HMRC services and access or submit data relating to them. Customers have to give their consent in writing if they wish an agent or personal representative to act on their behalf.
	HMRC uses leading technologies and encryption software to safeguard data and operates strict security standards across the whole of its IT estate to prevent any unauthorised access to it. All customers who use the Department's online services to access their tax records are required to register and enrol with the UK Government Gateway to obtain a unique online User ID. Before they can access their records they must log in and provide further information to enable HMRC to verify their identity.
	All individuals calling HMRC have to answer a series of security questions to validate their identity, before any tax information held on HMRC's systems can be disclosed. Customers who fail to satisfy the identity checks will be asked to put their inquiry in writing.
	The Department operates strict internal security and audit arrangements in relation to officials' access to taxpayer accounts, with stringent control and monitoring processes to ensure that staff access to individual accounts is allocated and used strictly according to business need.
	All staff accesses to taxpayer accounts are recorded automatically by HMRC's systems to identify any fraudulent or misappropriate use of access. The National Audit Office also audits HMRC's security arrangements as part of its yearly audits of the Department's major processes.

Taxation: Holiday Accommodation

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the evidential basis is for the statement in his Department's document, Impact assessment of withdrawing the furnished holiday letting rules, that the difference in the tax treatment between furnished holiday lettings in the UK and furnished holiday lettings in the rest of the European Economic Area may not comply with European law; and when his Department was first informed of that evidence.

Stephen Timms: As was the case with the previous Administration, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of its legal advice.

Taxation: Property

Andrew George: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment his Department has made of the extent of the practice of re-designating property ownership to avoid tax liability on the sale of second homes; and what estimate he has made of the likely effect on revenue of such practices in the last 12 months.

Stephen Timms: No such assessment has been made, as it is not possible to distinguish between the cost of private residence relief attributable to nominations of main residences for avoidance and non-avoidance purposes.
	HMRC apply a risk-based approach to investigating any cases where they suspect an individual has nominated a property as the main residence on a spurious basis.

Valuation Office

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals from which ports against the  (a) new rating assessments and  (b) demands for retrospective payments by the Valuation Office Agency have gone to (i) regional hearings, (ii) lands tribunals and (iii) judicial reviews; and what funding his Department has provided to the Agency to meet its legal costs arising from such cases in 2009-10.

Ian Pearson: Of the 567 proposals (appeals) settled under the fast track arrangements introduced by the Valuation Office Agency from 24 November 2008, (i) 18 have been heard before independent valuation tribunals, (ii) none have been heard before the Lands Tribunal and (iii) none have gone to judicial review.
	No additional funding has been provided to the Valuation Office Agency to deal with such cases.

Valuation Office: Pay

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether remuneration arrangements for members of the Valuation Office Agency board include benefits in kind.

Ian Pearson: The remuneration arrangements for members of the Valuation Office Agency board do not include benefits in kind.

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Richard Benyon: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to prevent poor and vulnerable people being required to repay overpayments of tax credits received for 2003-04 and 2004-05; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: HM Revenue and Customs' (HMRC) approach to recovering overpayments is designed to prevent hardship and does not vary according to the tax year.
	For information on HMRC's approach to hardship I refer to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Jon Trickett), on 20 May 2008,  Official Report , column 212W.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

China: Overseas Aid

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid his Department provided to China in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Foster: Final calendar year out-turn for 2009 will be available in March 2010.
	Information on in country expenditure is published annually in Statistics on International Development (SID), which is available on the Department for International Development's (DFID's) website:
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Finance-and-performance/Aid-Statistics/Statistics-on-International-Development-2009/

Departmental Carbon Emissions

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) associated non-departmental public bodies plan to sign up to the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon usage in 2010; and if he will publish the (i) criteria and (ii) research upon which such a decision will be taken.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) signed up to the 10:10 campaign to cut carbon usage in October 2009.
	The only non-departmental public body to which DFID is associated is the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). The CSC, which does not own any premises, is not a signatory to the 10:10 campaign.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many iPODs have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not retain a central record of iPODS purchased. Collating this information would incur disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on  (a) strategy and planning,  (b) design and build,  (c) hosting and infrastructure,  (d) content provision and  (e) testing and evaluation for its websites in each of the last three years; and what budget was allocated to each category in 2009-10.

Michael Foster: The reporting of costs in these categories for the last three years cannot be calculated without incurring disproportionate costs.

Departmental Waste

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what volume of waste his Department and its predecessors generated in each of the last three years; what percentage of this was  (a) paper,  (b) plastic,  (c) glass,  (d) metal,  (e) electrical goods and batteries and  (f) food waste; and what percentage of his Department's waste was (i) disposed of securely, (ii) disposed of in landfill and (iii) recycled.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development's (DFID's) reported waste from its UK operations was as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			   2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Total Waste (tonnes) 329 264 227 
			 of which:
			 Paper 70 71 70 
			 Plastic 1 1 1 
			 Glass 5 4 4 
			 Metal 1 1 1 
			 Electrical goods and batteries 1 1 1 
			 Food Waste (1)- (1)- (1)- 
			  Means of Disposal
			 Secure disposal(2) 0 0 0 
			 Landfill 19 19 24 
			 Recycled 81 81 76 
			 (1) Not separately recorded (2) All classified/confidential waste is shredded on site and therefore forms part of our recycled paper waste 
		
	
	DFID reports performance on waste as part of the Sustainable Development in Government process. DFID currently meets the two government targets on waste, namely to achieve a reduction of 5 per cent. relative to 2004/05 (DFID performance: 37.5 per cent. reduction) and to achieve at least 40 per cent. recycling by 2010-11 (DFID latest performance: 76 per cent.).
	The latest assessment of government performance was published by the Office of Government Commerce (OGC) on 19 December 2009 and is available on the OGC website at
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/sustainability_programme_progress.asp

Developing Countries: Malaria

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to assist the development of a safe, effective and affordable malaria vaccine.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports malaria vaccine development through the European and Developing Country Clinical Trials Partnership (EDCTP). To date EDCTP has provided €20 million for malaria vaccine development, funding high quality clinical trials to accelerate the process of vaccine development. These trials are necessary to ensure that safe vaccines go beyond discovery and actually enter the market in developing countries.
	DFID also supports the Advance Market Commitment (AMC). This funding mechanism, launched by the Prime Minister at the G8 summit, commits governments to fund agreed volumes of as yet unavailable vaccines, at an agreed price, if a product is successfully developed. The first AMC is funding the pneumococcal vaccine. The DFID White Paper, 'Eliminating World Poverty: Building our common future', makes a commitment to consider the funding of malaria vaccine as a possible future AMC.

Developing Countries: Schools

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department is taking to develop links between schools in the UK and in developing countries.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) supports the Global School Partnerships programme, implemented by the British Council. This facilitates active partnerships between schools in the UK and schools in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. The programme aims to raise young people's awareness of global development issues and equip them with the skills and knowledge to become active global citizens. To date, 2,000 UK schools are involved in this programme.

Overseas Aid

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 13 January 2010,  Official Report, column 1014W, on overseas aid, how much expenditure by Government departments qualified as official development assistance in the last financial year; and what percentage of such expenditure was undertaken by  (a) his Department,  (b) the Ministry of Defence and  (c) the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Douglas Alexander: Official development assistance (ODA) is reported on a calendar year basis in line with definitions laid out by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). UK ODA totalled £6.4 billion in 2008. Of this total:
	The Department for International Development (DFID) contributed £5.4 billion.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) contributed £164 million.
	£134 million in ODA was spent through the Conflict Prevention Pool (CPP) and Stabilisation Aid Fund (SAF). Of this amount, £97 million was managed by the FCO and the Ministry of Defence (MOD), with the remainder managed by DFID.
	The remaining amount was attributed to smaller contributions from other Government Departments, debt relief and net investments by CDC.
	2009 ODA figures will be available in April. Further details of UK ODA is available through the OECD Development Assistance Creditor Reporting System database available at
	www.oecd.org

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Sex Education

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on teaching about homosexuality in personal, social, health and economic education lessons in state-funded schools.

Diana Johnson: We expect schools to provide a broad programme of well planned and age appropriate sex and relationships education (SRE) through non statutory Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. As part of this programme we expect secondary schools to teach about human sexuality and types of relationships that exist within society, including homosexual relationships.

Teacher Recruitment

Michael Fabricant: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to recruit additional teachers of  (a) mathematics and  (b) science; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Training and Development Agency for Schools has recruited beyond its targets for secondary mathematics and science trainees in 2009/10 for the first time by:
	advertising the benefits of teaching mathematics and science,
	running effective recruitment events,
	marketing to career changers through employers,
	providing subject knowledge enhancement courses for those whose degree subjects are not exactly what they plan to teach, and
	paying bursaries to trainees on £9,000 to Postgraduate Certificate of Education courses.

Adoptive Placements

John Hemming: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his Department's estimate is of the number of children who returned to care after an adoptive placement in the latest period for which figures are available.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department does not collect information relating to the number of adoptive placements that breakdown or are disrupted. It is not possible to identify those children who have been returned to care from the data the Department collects from local authorities on looked after children in England.
	Once the 'Adoption Research Initiative' is complete consideration will be given to the need for further adoption-related research, including research on placement breakdown.

National Challenge for Schools

Phil Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress has been made in the national challenge for schools; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: In 1997, approximately 1,600 schools did not reach the National Challenge benchmark of 30 per cent. of pupils achieving five good GCSEs including English and maths, but this number has fallen progressively to 640 in 2007 and 439 in 2008.
	GCSE results in 2009 improved in National Challenge schools across the country. The number of schools below the benchmark has fallen further to just 247 this year.

National Challenge for Schools

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools did not meet the national challenge benchmark in their GCSE results for 2009.

Vernon Coaker: GCSE results in 2009 improved in National Challenge schools across the country. The number of schools below the benchmark of 30 per cent. of pupils achieving five good GCSEs including English and maths has fallen to just 247 this year.
	And we will continue to work hard in partnership with schools and local authorities to fulfil our ambition so that no school is below the benchmark by 2011.

Children's Centres

Christine Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what progress his Department has made towards its objective of opening 3,500 children's centres by 2010.

Dawn Primarolo: We are on track to meet our target of at least 3,500 Sure Start Children's Centres by March 2010. By the end of December 2009, there were 3,381 designated centres, providing access to services for over 2.7 million young children and their families.

Exclusion

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he next expects to meet representatives of teachers' unions to discuss policy on exclusions.

Vernon Coaker: Ministers have regular contact with school work force unions. I chair the Ministerial Stakeholders' Group on behaviour and attendance. This is a forum to discuss a wide range of behaviour issues, including exclusions when appropriate.

CAFCASS: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service's budget was in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and what budget is planned for 2010-11;
	(2)  whether the Children and Families Courts Advisory and Support Service expects to overspend on its budget for 2009-10.

Dawn Primarolo: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him and my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, North (Kelvin Hopkins) on 12 November 2009,  Official Report, columns 970-971W. Since then, the Department has allocated CAFCASS an additional £400,000 to commission Family Contact Services in 2009-2010.
	The exact level of CAFCASS's total funding for 2010-11 will be finalised in the context of discussions about CAFCASS's remit in 2010-11. The Department will continue to work closely with CAFCASS to monitor financial pressures.

Children: Homelessness

Tim Loughton: UKHL 26; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: UKHL 26 sets out how, under the Children Act 1989, local authorities should respond to the needs of homeless 16 to 17-year-olds. These responsibilities are not new and the judgment was in line with the Department's interpretation of the legislation and previous guidance issued to local authorities. However, following representations from local authorities, we intend in early 2010 to consult on further guidance to local authority children's and housing services about how they should implement their duties to assess and where necessary accommodate homeless 16 to 17-year-olds.
	Ofsted assess children's services in local areas including inspecting services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection. For looked after children this includes inspecting the quality of risk management and decision-making in identifying which children need to be taken into care.

Children's Rights Director

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many individual children's cases the Children's Rights Director's office considered in 2009.

Dawn Primarolo: This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Libraries.
	 Letter from Christine Gilbert, dated 11 January 2010:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to me, as Her Majesty's Chief Inspector, for a response.
	In the past 12 months (to the end of December 2009), the Office of the Children's Rights Director considered 210 individual child cases.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Vernon Coaker MP, Minister of State for Schools and Learners, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.

Classroom Assistants: Stroud

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many full-time equivalent teaching assistants there were in schools in Stroud constituency in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The following table provides the full-time equivalent number of teaching assistants in service in local authority maintained schools in Stroud constituency in each January from 1997 to 2009.
	
		
			  Full-time equivalent teaching assistants in service in local authority maintained schools, years: January 1997 to 2009, coverage: Stroud constituency 
			  January  Number of teaching assistants 
			 1997 80 
			 1998 80 
			 1999 100 
			 2000 100 
			 2001 130 
			 2002 140 
			 2003 140 
			 2004 130 
			 2005 160 
			 2006 150 
			 2007 190 
			 2008 170 
			 2009 150 
			  Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census.

Departmental Assets

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assets of his Department are planned to be sold in each year from 2009-10 to 2013-14; what the  (a) description and  (b) book value of each such asset is; what the expected revenue from each such sale is; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families has disposed of one of its current Headquarters buildings at Moorfoot in Sheffield, which was sold to the local authority during 2009-10 for £3 million; the book value was £3 million. The Department also intends to dispose of its freehold office building at Mowden Hall in Darlington during 2012-13 for an estimated value of £2.8 million; the book value is currently £2.8 million.
	These two items are the only significant asset sales currently planned for the Department during the period 2009-10 and 2013-14.
	The Government have stated their intention to realise £16 billion in asset disposals over the period 2011-14 and will publish further details of opportunities to commercialise business assets in the coming weeks.
	The sale of other less significant assets, such as furniture, IT equipment and motor vehicles, is unplanned and disposed of on an ad hoc basis when they reach the end of their useful economic life; either through obsolescence or fault.

Departmental Drinking Water

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much his Department has spent on bottled drinking water since 1 April 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: There has been nil expenditure on bottled water during this period due to the contract for the supply of bottled water being terminated in December 2008.

Departmental Travel

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much expenditure his Department has incurred in respect of  (a) air,  (b) rail,  (c) taxi and  (d) car travel undertaken by each Minister in his Department since June 2007.

Diana Johnson: All travel by Ministers is undertaken in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Since 1999, the Cabinet Office has published a list of ail overseas travel over £500 undertaken by Ministers. Information for the financial year 2008-09 was published on 16 July 2009 and can be viewed at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/propriety_and_ethics/ministers/travel_gifts.aspx
	Information regarding the cost of rail and taxis is not collected in the format requested and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 12 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 918-19W which details the number of and cost to Departments of the provision of allocated cars and drivers by the Government Car and Despatch Agency to Ministers.

Free School Meals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of pupils in each year cohort were eligible for free school meals in each year since 1997.

Diana Johnson: holding answer 18 November  2009
	The available information on free school meals (FSM) is shown in the tables.
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1)  and state-funded secondary( 1,2)  schools: School meal arrangements by national curriculum year group, England 2002-04 
			   2002  2003  2004 
			  National curriculum year  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM 
			 Nursery classes 301,300 17,630 5.9 290,590 16,870 5.8 283,430 16,590 5.9 
			 Reception 568,900 96,440 17.0 550,920 90,110 16.4 542,560 91,420 16.9 
			 1 571,360 104,070 18.2 580,840 104,890 18.1 568,340 104,540 18.4 
			 2 578,390 106,040 18.3 570,080 103,090 18.1 580,520 109,000 18.8 
			 3 590,450 107,980 18.3 577,910 104,160 18.0 569,110 104,610 18.4 
			 4 588,810 108,400 18.4 589,450 104,560 17.7 576,970 105,570 18.3 
			 5 610,720 109,800 18.0 590,090 104,720 17.7 587,790 105,500 17.9 
			 6 606,520 106,790 17.6 607,760 104,760 17.2 586,460 104,460 17.8 
			 7 606,430 103,670 17.1 607,640 101,710 16.7 601,620 99,690 16.6 
			 8 590,010 99,180 16.8 597,220 97,900 16.4 606,530 99,820 16.5 
			 9 594,440 96,250 16.2 588,540 93,290 15.9 596,780 94,160 15.8 
			 10 575,400 89,010 15.5 594,160 89,200 15.0 587,690 88,020 15.0 
			 11 540,010 75,440 14.0 561,720 76,740 13.7 579,690 78,890 13.6 
			 12 184,800 12,360 6.7 192,450 12,850 6.7 192,100 12,210 6.4 
			 13 130,540 5,590 4.3 137,790 5,590 4.1 144,350 6,300 4.4 
			 14 5,310 450 8.4 1,340 120 9.1 3,610 310 8.6 
			 (1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies.  (3)( )Includes sole and dual (main) registrations.  (4)( )Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons, e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim.   Note:  Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, percentages rounded to one decimal place.   Source:  School Census. 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1)  and state-funded secondary( 1,2)  schools: School meal arrangements by national curriculum year group, England 2005-07 
			   2005  2006  2007 
			  National curriculum year  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM 
			 Nursery classes 279,490 15,840 5.7 278,170 0 5.0 283,150 13,630 4.8 
			 Reception 525,390 87,590 16.7 522,710 81,950 15.7 522,650 82,050 15.7 
			 1 564,280 101,910 18.1 544,510 93,800 17.2 533,830 91,300 17.1 
			 2 565,920 102,660 18.1 560,360 96,470 17.2 545,200 94,570 17.3 
			 3 579,700 105,610 18.2 564,900 96,250 17.0 558,900 94,950 17.0 
			 4 569,170 101,800 17.9 579,550 99,230 17.1 564,610 94,840 16.8 
			 5 575,540 101,440 17.6 568,460 95,010 16.7 578,830 96,540 16.7 
			 6 587,640 101,120 17.2 575,100 94,920 16.5 567,820 92,360 16.3 
			 7 580,010 94,960 16.4 578,810 95,100 16.4 565,650 90,830 16.1 
			 8 600,440 96,220 16.0 580,120 90,850 15.7 578,570 88,700 15.3 
			 9 603,100 93,440 15.5 599,390 89,140 14.9 579,160 85,450 14.8 
			 10 595,790 87,750 14.7 601,930 84,570 14.0 598,740 81,960 13.7 
			 11 575,560 77,210 13.4 584,730 75,190 12.9 591,280 73,870 12.5 
			 12 198,910 12,790 6.4 204,410 12,440 6.1 212,200 12,740 6.0 
			 13 151,130 6,830 4.5 152,680 6,430 4.2 152,960 6,430 4.2 
			 14 2,620 240 9.1 2,240 290 13.1 2,840 370 13.1 
			 (1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies.  (3)( )Includes sole and dual (main) registrations.  (4)( )Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons, e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim.   Note:  Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, percentages rounded to one decimal place.   Source:  School Census. 
		
	
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1)  and state-funded secondary( 1,2)  schools: School meal arrangements by national curriculum year group, England 2008-09 
			   2008  2009 
			  National curriculum year  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM  Number of pupils( 3)  Number of pupils eligible for FSM( 4)  % of pupils eligible for FSM 
			 Nursery classes 285,840 13,330 4.7 289,070 13,170 4.6 
			 Reception 543,260 81,870 15.1 559,410 88,980 15.9 
			 1 529,720 88,620 16.7 549,710 94,330 17.2 
			 2 535,060 90,810 17.0 530,840 92,650 17.5 
			 3 543,420 92,220 17.0 533,210 92,800 17.4 
			 4 558,160 92,260 16.5 542,780 93,560 17.2 
			 5 563,640 91,640 16.3 557,070 92,550 16.6 
			 6 577,950 92,930 16.1 562,880 91,600 16.3 
			 7 558,300 88,970 15.9 567,600 93,600 16.5 
			 8 565,990 85,700 15.1 558,520 86,190 15.4 
			 9 577,670 82,810 14.3 565,450 82,720 14.6 
			 10 579,360 79,110 13.7 577,830 78,720 13.6 
			 11 588,210 71,840 12.2 569,440 71,140 12.5 
			 12 216,660 12,640 5.8 225,560 13,420 5.9 
			 13 158,900 6,340 4.0 163,440 6,730 4.1 
			 14 2,850 380 13.2 2,650 310 11.9 
			 (1)( )Includes middle schools as deemed.  (2)( )Includes CTCs and academies.  (3)( )Includes sole and dual (main) registrations.  (4)( )Those eligible may choose not to take up their offer of a free school meal for various reasons, e.g. through preference or through non-attendance on the day. Pupils are counted as eligible only if they meet the eligibility criteria and make a claim.   Note:  Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10, percentages rounded to one decimal place.   Source:  School Census.

GCSE

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what proportion of 15 year olds entitled to free school meals achieved five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics in each local authority in 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is given in Table 5 of the Statistical First Release 'GCSE Attainment by Pupil Characteristics, in England 2008/09' which was published on 15 December 2009 at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000900/index.shtml
	 Note
	These figures relate to all pupils at the end of key stage 4 rather than 15-year-olds.
	Breaking the link between disadvantage and low attainment is a national priority. To ensure we meet this priority, Public Sector Agreement 11 (PSA) specifically focuses on narrowing the gap between children from low income and disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers. Local authorities must set statutory attainment targets, in line with PSA 11, that amongst other things, increases the proportion of children eligible for free school meals achieving five GCSEs at grades A* to C, including English and mathematics. The performance of local authorities to date in narrowing attainment gaps is variable, depending on many circumstances including the starting point of children in that authority. All LA targets will be reviewed to ensure they are ambitious but realistic.

Gifted Children: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of pupils at schools in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency have been identified as gifted and talented since 2006.

Diana Johnson: The Department does not collect data about participation in gifted and talented programmes. Through the School Census schools are asked to confirm the number of gifted and talented pupils they have identified. The tables below show the number and percentage of children identified as gifted and talented in the Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in the January census between 2006, when the question was first asked, and 2009.
	2006 records include Secondary GT pupil data only. Otherwise, figures include Primary(1) and Secondary(1,)( )(2 )school data broken down by the number(3) and percentage of gifted and talented pupils.
	
		
			  Maintained primary( 1)  and state-funded secondary( 1,)( )( 2 ) schools: Number( 3)  and percentage of gifted and talented pupils as at January each year in the Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency 
			   Maintained primary schools  State funded secondary schools  Primary and secondary schools 
			   Number of gifted and talented pupils  Percentage  of gifted and talented pupils  Number of gifted and talented pupils  Percentage  of gifted and talented pupils  Number of gifted and talented pupils  Percentage  of gifted and talented pupils 
			 2009 1,340 7.8 730 8.2 2060 8.2 
			 2008 1,290 7.6 680 7.6 1970 7.6 
			 2007 780 4.6 760 8.5 1540 6.0 
			 2006 - - 900 10.1 900 10.1 
			 (1) All data include middle schools as deemed. (2) All data include City Technology Colleges and Academies. (3) All data show solely registered pupils only. Pupil numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10.  Source:  School Census 
		
	
	A data table showing information for all constituencies in England has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Home Education

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish the results of his consultation on home education registration and monitoring.

Diana Johnson: The response to the Home Education: Registration and Monitoring Proposals public consultation was published on 11 January 2010. It can be found on the Department's Consultation Unit's website on:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/consultations/index.cfm?action= conResultsconsultationId=1643external=nomenu=3

Literacy: Finance

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much he expects his Department to spend on giving free books to 11-year-olds in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families expects to spend £2.7 million in 2010-11 delivering free books to 11-year-old children. This funds the Booked Up programme, delivered by the charity Booktrust, which offers a choice of book, from a selected list, to every child of this age. In the recent Pre-Budget Report, funding was agreed for specific areas of spending for the years 2011-13. We will be considering allocations of funding beyond those areas, including for Booktrust, within a full spending review due to take place later this year.

National Curriculum Tests

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on how many pupils with a valid level of both Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 the information in Table 6 of DCSF: National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2 in England 2008-09 is based.

Vernon Coaker: Pupils with a valid level at both key stage 1 and key stage 2 are included, excluding pupils who wee absent or disapplied from the key stage 1 assessments. Only pupils who have reached the end of key stage 2 in 2009 are included.
	In table 6 of DCSF: National Curriculum Assessments at Key Stage 2 in England 2008-09; 543,039 pupils are included in key stage 1 reading and writing results to key stage 2 English; 543,092 pupils are included in key stage 1 mathematics results to key stage 2 mathematics; 543,038 pupils are included in key stage 1 reading, writing and maths results to key stage 2 science; 543,120 pupils are included in key stage 1 reading results to key stage 2 reading and 543,086 pupils are included in key stage 1 writing results to key stage 2 writing.

National Safeguarding Delivery Unit: Finance

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the budget is of the National Safeguarding Delivery Unit for  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11 and  (c) 2011-12.

Dawn Primarolo: The allocated budget for the National Safeguarding Delivery Unit (NSDU) for 2009-10 is £2.03 million. This funding is to meet salary costs for staff in the unit as well as activities to support improvement in safeguarding standards and better, more consistent practice across the country, including the revision of the statutory guidance, Working Together to Safeguard Children.
	The costs of staff seconded to the NSDU from the Department of Health, Ministry of Justice and the Home Office are being met by their home Departments
	The NSDU's budget for 2010-11 and 2011-12 has not yet been agreed.

Physical Education: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much funding his Department and its predecessors have allocated for the encouragement of physical exercise for pupils in schools in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in each of the last three years.

Diana Johnson: The Department for Children, Schools and Families funds school sport partnerships across the country to increase opportunities in physical education (PE) and sport for young people and to raise participation levels. The Department also funds specialist sports colleges to raise standards in PE and sport and to use their specialism to raise whole school standards. In each of the last three years, the Department has funded the following school sport partnerships and specialist sports colleges in, or near, the Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  Total 
			 Calthorpe School Sport Partnership 215,950 207,345 224,224 647,519 
			 Golden Hillock School Sport Partnership 273,270 281,424 297,045 851,739 
			 Ninestyles School Sport Partnership 277,781 290,070 299,738 867,589 
			 Calthorpe Sports College 105,135 105,740 109,020 319,895 
			 Golden Hillock Sports College 110,295 109,263 108,747 328,305 
			 Total 982,431 993,842 1,038,774 3,015,047

Pupils: Absenteeism

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the unauthorised absence rate was for pupils in  (a) Lewes constituency and  (b) East Sussex in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is shown in the following table.
	To provide information for further years would incur disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Primary, secondary and special schools( 1, 2, 3) , percentage of half days missed due to unauthorised absence( 4) , 1996/97 to 2007/08( 5) 
			   Lewes constituency  East Sussex 
			 1996/97(6) 0.28 0.56 
			 1999/2000 0.60 0.73 
			 2003/04 0.64 0.95 
			 2007/08 1.16 1.17 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) The number of sessions missed due to unauthorised absence expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions. (5) Figures prior to 2007/08 have been sourced from the Absence in Schools Survey. Other figures are derived from the School Census. (6) East Sussex local authority area following local government reorganisation in April 1997.  Source: Absence in Schools Survey and School Census(5).

Pupils: Absenteeism

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average  (a) authorised,  (b) unauthorised and  (c) persistent absence rate for (i) boys and (ii) girls at Key Stage 4 was in each year since 1997.

Vernon Coaker: The available information is shown in the table.
	The first year for which information is available on absence rates by gender is 2005/06 and relates to secondary schools only. This was extended to primary and special schools in 2006/07.
	
		
			  Maintained primary, state-funded secondary and special schools( 1, 2, 3) , absence rates and persistent absentee rates( 4)  for key stage 4( 5)  pupils, 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08, England 
			   Boys  Girls 
			   Authorised absence rate( 6)  unauthorised absence rate( 6)  Percentage of pupil enrolments that are persistent absentees( 4, 7)  Authorised absence rate( 6)  unauthorised absence rate( 6)  Percentage of pupil enrolments that are persistent absentees( 4, 7) 
			 2005/06(8) 7.14 2.11 9.5 7.88 2.16 10.8 
			 2006/07 6.71 2.26 9.1 7.47 2.35 10.4 
			 2007/08 6.10 2.21 7.6 6.88 2.31 9.0 
			 (1) Includes middle schools as deemed. (2) Includes maintained secondary schools, city technology colleges and academies (including all-through academies). (3) Includes maintained and non-maintained special schools. Excludes general hospital schools. (4) Persistent absentees are defined as having 64 or more sessions of absence (authorised and unauthorised) during the year, typically over 20 per cent. overall absence rate. (5) Key stage 4 pupils are pupil enrolments with national curriculum year group 10 or 11. (6) The number of sessions missed due to authorised/unauthorised expressed as a percentage of the total number of possible sessions. (7) The number of persistent absentee enrolments expressed as a percentage of the total number of enrolments with the same characteristics. (8) 2005/06 pupil level data are available for secondary school pupils only.  Source: School Census.

Pupils: Absenteeism

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what his policy is on the recording in statistics on absenteeism those children who are receiving treatment, in hospital or at home, for illness or injury; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 January 2010
	Where a child is absent from school due to illness or injury then their absence will be recorded in the school register as an authorised absence. It is good practice for schools to monitor and escalate any concerns about high levels of absence due to illness or injury.
	Children with long term illnesses and other medical conditions may need additional support to continue their education, such as home tuition provided by the local authority or attendance at hospital schools. This should be tailored to suit the child's individual needs. Where such an education is provided schools can record those sessions as an approved educational activity and not as an absence.

Pupils: Absenteeism

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of pupils  (a) eligible and  (b) not eligible for free school meals were classified as persistent absentees in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003;
	(2)  how many and what proportion of white British  (a) boys and  (b) girls who were eligible for free school meals were classified as persistent absentees in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2003.

Vernon Coaker: The requested information is not available. The first year for which information is available on persistent absence and on absence by pupil characteristics is 2005/06 and relates to secondary schools only. This was extended to primary and special schools in 2006/07.

Pupils: Attendance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether pupils who do not attend school because of  (a) travel difficulties and  (b) school closure in severe weather are classified as absent for the purposes of his Department's statistics.

Vernon Coaker: Where pupils are unable to attend school because of severe weather conditions their absence will be counted as an authorised absence. However, where pupils who rely on transport that is provided by the school or a local education authority to get to school are not able to do so because of severe weather conditions, then their absence is not counted in the statistics. Where a school is forced to close due to severe weather conditions the pupils' absence is not counted in the statistics.
	Every lesson counts and it is right that schools should stay open during poor weather conditions where it is safe to do so. Those schools that remained open during the recent spell of poor weather should be commended for doing so.
	It is for this reason that we are asking local authorities to ensure that schools are not penalised for remaining open during the recent snow and to make it clear that we expect authorities to take any increased absences due to the poor weather into consideration when looking at school absence figures-where the head teacher is able to provide suitable evidence.
	The Pupil Registration Regulations 2006 are clear that where a school is open and pupils do not attend, their non-attendance has to be recorded whether it is due to the poor weather or for any other reason (e.g. illness, or being on holiday). While this will mean that those schools will have a higher absence rate than if they had been forced to close, head teachers should not take decisions about closing schools based on concerns about absence records. Their primary concern in such cases should be for the welfare of their pupils and staff.
	The Department are currently looking at ways that absences due to exceptional circumstances, such as the recent poor weather conditions, can be reported and monitored within the school absence data. However, we will not be able to do this for the recent snow.

Pupils: Epilepsy

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Health on local health services training for school staff in the administration of emergency medication for pupils with epilepsy;
	(2)  whether his review of Managing Medicines in School is considering improvements to advice for the management of children with epilepsy when they have seizures at school.

Dawn Primarolo: Discussions between both Departments have resulted in the Child Health Strategy and the Healthy Child Programme and a joint commitment to update and reissue guidance on Managing Medicines in Schools and Early Years Settings.
	We would expect schools and local Primary Care Trusts to work together to arrange training that is appropriate to the needs of the pupils and the staff involved.
	The revised guidance aims to offer schools and settings appropriate advice and information to supplement the necessary training and support from other agencies. The guidance will include clear statements of those involved in supporting pupils with medical conditions, including schools and primary care trusts. Our intention is to publish the new guidance in spring 2010 which will be supported by an awareness-raising campaign for schools.

Pupils: Epilepsy

Edward Timpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many children with epilepsy there are in mainstream schools.

Diana Johnson: The Department does not collect this information.

Schools: ICT

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much local authorities spent on IT procurement for schools in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Vernon Coaker: The Department funds schools for technology purposes by the Harnessing Technology Grant.
	
		
			  Funding allocation to local authorities 
			  Financial year  £ million 
			 2009-10 201 
		
	
	However the Harnessing Technology Grant will not be the total that local authorities spend on IT as schools are also free to use money from other sources on technological services and infrastructure. This figure will also exclude the national Home Access programme which is not administered by local authorities.

Schools: Snow and Ice

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many schools have closed owing to adverse weather conditions in  (a) Leicester,  (b) the East Midlands and  (c) England in January 2010 to date; and how many pupils in each location have not been able to sit exams as a result.

Vernon Coaker: There is no duty on local authorities or schools to report closures to the Department, so the Department does not collect this information. No definitive data are available on the number of students missing exams as a result of the weather, though we believe that the number missing exams because of school closure was very small. More information will be available after exams have been completed next month, though it will not be possible to be certain about the numbers of students missing exams because of the weather rather than for other reasons; nor will it be possible to provide a geographical breakdown of the student numbers.

Secondary Schools: Manpower

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average staff to pupil ratio is in secondary schools in  (a) York and  (b) England.

Vernon Coaker: The following table provides the pupil to adult ratio in local authority maintained secondary schools in York local authority and England in January 2009. This is the latest information available.
	
		
			  Pupil:adult ratio in local authority maintained secondary schools, January 2009, York local authority and England 
			   Pupil:adult ratio 
			 York 11.0 
			 England 10.7 
			  Notes: 1. Excludes academies and city technology colleges. 2. The pupil to adult ratio is calculated by dividing the total full-time equivalent (FTE) number of pupils on roll in schools by the total FTE number of all teachers and support staff employed in schools, excluding administrative and clerical staff.  Source: School Census.

Slough

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will set out, with statistical information related as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of the policies and actions of his Department and its predecessors since 2000.

Vernon Coaker: Since 2000 the Government have transformed education and child care with improved outcomes for children and young people. Figures showing the improvement in performance at Key Stage 2 and at GCSE and equivalents in Slough are given in the following tables:
	
		
			  Key stage 2 results of 11-year-old pupils attending schools in the Slough constituency 
			  Percentage of pupils gaining level 4 and above  2000  2009( 1)  Percentage point improvement 2000-09 
			 Slough: English(2) 75 79 4 
			 Slough: maths(2) 72 75 3 
			 Slough: science(2) 86 86 - 
			 England: English(3) 75 80 5 
			 England: maths(3) 72 79 7 
			 England: science(3) 85 88 3 
			 (1) Revised data.  (2) Pupils attending schools in Slough constituency.  (3) The average for all schools in England. 
		
	
	
		
			  GCSE and equivalents( 1)  results for pupils( 2 ) attending schools in the Slough constituency 
			  Percentage of pupils gaining  2000  2009( 3)  Percentage point improvement 2000-09 
			 Slough: 5+ A* - C 51.4 75.0 23.6 
			 Slough: 5+ A* - G 91.3 97.8 6.5 
			 England average: 5+ A* - C 49.2 70.0 20.8 
			 England average: 5+ A* - G 88.9 92.3 3.4 
		
	
	
		
			  Percentage of pupils gaining  2005  2009( 3)  Percentage point improvement 2005-09 
			 Slough: 5+A*- C including English and mathematics 45.5 50 4.5 
			 England average: 5+A*- C including English and mathematics 49.8 60.3 10.5 
			 (1) From 2004 results incorporate GCSEs, GNVQs and a range of other qualifications approved pre-16. Prior to 2004 results are based on GCSEs and GNVQs only.  (2) From 2006 figures are for pupils at the end of key stage 4. Prior to 2006 results are based on pupils aged 15.  (3) Revised data. 
		
	
	Further information by constituency is provided within the Department's 'In Your Area' website available at:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/inyourarea
	Information available at constituency level includes the number of specialist schools, number of operational academies, number of teaching assistants and other support staff, number of teachers and pupil:teacher ratios. Where information is not available at constituency level it has been provided at local authority level.
	Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Specialist Schools and Academies Trust: Income

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the income of the Specialist Schools and Academies Trust  (a) is in 2009-10 and  (b) is expected to be in 2010-11 from (i) central Government grants, (ii) subscriptions from schools, (iii) private sector donations and (iv) other sources; and if he will make a statement.

Vernon Coaker: The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust (SSAT) is an independent registered charity which receives income from a variety of sources. My Department is not responsible for monitoring income derived from sources other than the Department. The grant committed by the Department to SSAT in 2009-10 is £15,419,982. SSAT is also free to bid for contracts advertised by the Department, and £20,692,700 is due to be paid in 2009-10 under contracts won by SSAT in open competition. We are not in a position to estimate SSAT's income from these sources in 2010-11 as grants are negotiated annually and SSAT may bid on the same basis as other organisations for any contract advertised by the Department on the open market.
	SSAT's audited accounts are published and available from the Charity Commission and Companies House.

Vetting: Local Education Authorities

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Aylesbury of 16 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1106W, on schools: vetting, whether local authorities will be compensated under the new burdens principle for the cost of registering councillors and council officers under the vetting and barring scheme.

Dawn Primarolo: No; there are no new burdens costs. When ISA-registration becomes mandatory in November 2010 for people starting new posts in regulated activity, payment of the £64 registration fee will be the responsibility of the applicant, although employers may choose to pay on their behalf. The fee, which includes the cost of a Criminal Records Bureau enhanced disclosure, is payable just once in respect of working with children or vulnerable adults or both vulnerable groups. The applicant will then be registered for life if they so wish, unless they are barred from working with the vulnerable groups. The vetting and barring scheme will monitor continuously any information from the police, employers or other sources about registered persons, and the Independent Safeguarding Authority will bar them from working with children or vulnerable adults if they do anything that harms or poses a risk of harm to the vulnerable groups.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Antisocial Behaviour Orders: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people aged between 16 and 18 have  (a) been given and  (b) breached an antisocial behaviour order in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Data on the number of antisocial behaviour orders (ASBOs) issued, collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice are not available below Criminal Justice System (CJS) area level. A further breakdown could be ascertained only by reference to individual court files, which could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.
	Data on breaches of ASBOs collected centrally by the Ministry of Justice and held on the Court Proceedings Database only count those occasions where the breach was proven in court to have occurred. These data are not compiled below CJS area level.

Antisocial Behaviour: Greater London

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much funding his Department has allocated to initiatives to tackle antisocial behaviour in  (a) the London borough of Bexley and  (b) Greater London in each year since 2005.

Alan Campbell: Since 2004-05, as with all other Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships (CDRPs), London borough of Bexley as well as each CDRP with Greater London was allocated £25,000 a year as a contribution towards funding an ASB Co-ordinator Post. In 2005-06, in England the antisocial co-ordinators grant was pooled within the Safer and Stronger Communities Fund. This pooled budget supported the delivery of outcomes and indicators relating to antisocial behaviour in local area agreements (LAAs). As of 2008-09 Home Office funding for local authorities to tackle antisocial behaviour now form part of the general Area Based Grant (ABG) paid by the Department of Communities and Local Government.
	This funding has been renewed for the period 2008-11 and it is for local partnerships to agree how the grants received should be allocated against locally determined priorities, including tackling antisocial behaviour.
	In addition, on 13 October 2009 the Home Secretary announced assistance to 62 priority areas where public perceptions of antisocial behaviour are highest. As London borough of Bexley is a priority area it receives support as well as funding to provide additions services to victims and witnesses of ASB. Another 17 areas in Greater London are also priority areas. In 2009-10, priority areas in Greater London, including London borough of Bexley received £268,000 and £400,000 to be allocated in 2010-11.
	There is also wider funding which contributes towards the wider cross-Government strategy to tackle antisocial behaviour, including an additional £10 million announced on 20 November 2009 by the Department for Communities and Local Government to 130 local authorities to support the fight against antisocial behaviour. In addition, the Government are committed to diverting young people from crime and antisocial behaviour as demonstrated by our investment in universal services such as Sure Start Children's Centres, parenting support and positive activities as well as targeted work through the Youth Crime Action Plan (YCAP).

Arrests: Passports and Fireworks

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people have been arrested for offences connected to forgery of passports in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people have been arrested for an offence connected with setting off fireworks in each year since 1997.

Alan Campbell: The arrests collection held by the Home Office covers arrests for recorded crime (notifiable offences) only, broken down at a main offence group level, covering categories such as violence against the person and robbery.
	The offence of forgery of passports and setting off fireworks is not a notifiable offence and does not form part of this collection.

Asylum: Housing

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 21 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1529W, on asylum: housing, how much funding was given to each of the 18 suppliers in each of the last three years; and how many asylum seeker households were housed by each supplier in each of those years.

Phil Woolas: The funding given to each of the 18 suppliers and number of households accommodated in the last three financial years is in the following tables. The figures have been taken from internal management information and the figures for provider spend have not been specifically audited independently. Financial figures have been rounded to one decimal point and numbers of households to the nearest 10. Household figures are only available as 'snapshots' and the table details the numbers on 31 March for each respective financial year. Populations decrease and increase during the course of any year.
	
		
			  Accommodation cost 2006-09 
			  £ million 
			  Supplier  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Angel Group 11.9 28.2 31.3 
			 Astonbrook 8.1 16.6 3.3 
			 Cardiff City Council 1.8 4.3 4.8 
			 Clearsprings 12.7 22.7 27.2 
			 North West Consortium 6.1 9.1 8.0 
			 West Midlands Consortium 7.2 9.9 6.7 
			 Y and H Consortium 15.8 20.8 20.5 
			 Glasgow City Council 13.7 16.8 11.1 
			 Happy Homes UK Limited 3.0 9.3 15.6 
			 Jomast - - 1.6 
			 Kimberly Group 3.7 6.1 4.4 
			 Liverpool City Council 1.0 3.6 6.1 
			 NE Consortium 14.3 11.5 11.1 
			 N. Ireland Housing Executive - - 1.2 
			 Nottingham City Council 3.2 5.7 5.7 
			 Priority Properties NW Ltd. 9.0 20.5 26.8 
			 Refugee HA Ltd. 2.2 3.5 3.1 
			 Swansea City Council 1.2 1.1 0.6 
			 United Property Management 15.4 28.9 37.6 
			 YMCA Glasgow 1.8 4.2 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Households accommodated on 31 March 
			  Number 
			  Supplier  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Angel Group 1,780 3,270 2,430 
			 Astonbrook 1,430 1,520 - 
			 Cardiff City Council 300 370 560 
			 Clearsprings 1,450 1,840 2,530 
			 North West Consortium 670 590 740 
			 West Midlands Consortium 660 460 420 
			 Y and H Consortium 1,780 1,590 2,030 
			 Glasgow City Council 1,210 570 1,050 
			 Happy Homes UK Limited 570 1,920 1,860 
			 Jomast - - 750 
			 Kimberly Group 480 730 - 
			 Liverpool City Council 120 210 290 
			 NE Consortium 720 990 1060 
			 N. Ireland Housing Executive 80 100 170 
			 Nottingham City Council 390 540 580 
			 Priority Properties NW Ltd. 1,980 3,410 4,310 
			 Refugee HA Ltd 260 330 290 
			 Swansea City Council 110 60 60 
			 United Property Management 2,320 3,40 5,460 
			 YMCA Glasgow 240 210 300 
		
	
	
		
			  Accommodation cost 2006 to 2009 
			  £ million 
			  Supplier  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Angel Group 11.9 28.2 31.3 
			 Aston brook 8.1 16.6 3.3 
			 Cardiff City Council 1.8 4.3 4.8 
			 Clearsprings 12.7 22.7 27.2 
			 North West Consortium 6.1 9.1 8.0 
			 West Midlands Consortium 7.2 9.9 6.7 
			 Y and H Consortium 15.8 20.8 20.5 
			 Glasgow City Council 13.7 16.8 11.1 
			 Happy Homes UK Limited 3.0 9.3 15.6 
			 Jomast - - 1.6 
			 Kimberly Group 3.7 6.1 4.4 
			 Liverpool City Council 1.0 3.6 6.1 
			 NE Consortium 14.3 11.5 11.1 
			 N. Ireland Housing Executive - - 1.2 
			 Nottingham City Council 3.2 5.7 5.7 
			 Priority Properties NW Ltd. 9.0 20.5 26.8 
			 Refugee HA Ltd 2.2 3.5 3.1 
			 Swansea City Council 1.2 1.1 0.6 
			 United Property Management 15.4 28.9 37.6 
			 YMCA Glasgow 1.8 4.2 4.2 
		
	
	
		
			  Households accommodated on 31 March 
			  Number 
			  Supplier  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Angel Group 1,780 3,270 2,430 
			 Astonbrook 1,430 1,520 - 
			 Cardiff City Council 300 370 560 
			 Clearsprings 1,450 1,840 2,530 
			 North West Consortium 670 590 740 
			 West Midlands Consortium 660 460 420 
			 Y and H Consortium 1,780 1,590 2,030 
			 Glasgow City Council 1,210 570 1,050 
			 Happy Homes UK Limited 570 1,920 1,860 
			 Jomast - - 750 
			 Kimberly Group 480 730 - 
			 Liverpool City Council 120 210 290 
			 NE Consortium 720 990 1060 
			 N. Ireland Housing Executive 80 100 170 
			 Nottingham City Council 390 540 580 
			 Priority Properties NW Ltd. 1,980 3,410 4,310 
			 Refugee HA Ltd. 260 330 290 
			 Swansea City Council 110 60 60 
			 United Property Management 2,320 3,540 5,460 
			 YMCA Glasgow 240 210 300

Asylum: Housing

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst of 21 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1529W, on asylum: housing, what the policy is of  (a) the UK Border Agency and  (b) its suppliers on housing asylum seekers in vacant (i) council and (ii) housing association housing.

Phil Woolas: The UK Border Agency contracts with public and private sector organisation for the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers. It only pays for these services, on a per person per day basis, when accommodation is actually occupied and it is the responsibility of the suppliers to provide suitable accommodation. The UK Border Agency does not stipulate that vacant council housing or housing association dwelling should be used for asylum seekers. How public sector providers use their available housing stock is a matter for them.

British Crime Survey: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of people in North Wales was reported by the British Crime Survey as very worried about  (a) theft from a car,  (b) burglary and  (c) physical attack in each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Estimates for the proportion of people in North Wales with high levels of worry about car crime, burglary and violent crime in 2006-07 and 2007-08 appear in the table.
	Following a change to the 2008-09 British Crime Survey questionnaire the sample size is no longer sufficiently large to produce robust estimates for these measures at police force area level.
	
		
			  Worry about crime 2006-07  to  2008-09 BCS for North Wales police force area 
			   High level of worry about burglary( 1)  High level of worry about car crime( 2)  High level of worry about violent crime( 3) 
			   %  Statistically significant change, on previous year  Unweighted base  %  Statistically significant change, on previous year  Unweighted base  %  Statistically significant change, on previous year  Unweighted base 
			 2008-09(4) - - n/a - - n/a - - n/a 
			 2007-08 11 - 1,067 11 - 871 13 - 955 
			 2006-07 12 - 998 9 - 788 13 - 903 
			 (1) Measure for worry about burglary is the percentage of respondents who say they are 'very worried' about having their home broken into and something stolen. (2) Measure for worry about car crime is based on two questions on worry about 'having your car stolen' and 'having things stolen from your car'. (3) Measure for worry about violent crime is based on a scale constructed from questions on worry about mugging, rape, physical attack by a stranger and racially motivated assault. (4) Sample sizes for 2008-09 BCS are not of sufficient size to produce robust estimates at the level of PFA.

Burglary: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of burglary were recorded in Birmingham in each year since 2005.

Alan Campbell: The available information is for the Birmingham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area and is given in the following table:
	
		
			  Offences of burglary recorded by the police in Birmingham, 2005-06 to 2008-09 
			  Number 
			   Burglary in a dwelling  Burglary other  Total burglary 
			 2005-06 8,509 6,727 15,236 
			 2006-07 7,952 6,616 14,568 
			 2007-08 7,701 5,857 13,558 
			 2008-09 7,231 5,082 12,313

Crime

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funding his Department has allocated to  (a) the Tackling Knives Action Programme and  (b) the Tackling Gangs Action Programme for (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11.

Alan Campbell: In March 2009 the Home Office committed £5 million to Phase II of the Tackling Knives and Serious Youth Violence Action Programme (TKAP) for 2009-10, to address serious youth violence within the 13-24 age range. Further funding of £2 million has been made available since then. No announcement has been made on plans for 2010-11.
	The Tackling Gangs Action Programme (TGAP) was a six-month intensive programme of work launched in September 2007, which ended in March 2008. No funding was therefore provided to TGAP during the periods stipulated in the question.

Crime

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which  (a) 10 police forces and  (b) basic command units recorded the (i) largest reductions in crime and disorder rates in the last 10 years and (ii) lowest overall crime rates in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: Because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in 2002-03 data for years prior to that are not directly comparable.
	Table 1 gives the 10 police force areas with the highest decreases in total recorded crime between 2002-03 and 2008-09.
	Table 2 gives the 10 Basic Command Units with the highest comparable decreases over the same period. Many forces have re-organised their Basic Command Units over time which means that comparisons for those BCUs affected are not possible.
	Table 3 gives the 10 police forces with the lowest overall crime rate per 1,000 population in 2008-09. Table 4 gives the 10 lowest rates at Basic Command Unit level.
	
		
			  Table 1:  10  police forces with the largest percentage decrease in total recorded crime between 2002-03 and 2008-09 
			  Police force area  Percentage decrease 
			 Northumbria -36.4 
			 West Midlands -35.0 
			 West Yorkshire -32.7 
			 Humberside -32.3 
			 Norfolk -31.0 
			 North Wales -29.1 
			 Nottinghamshire -28.6 
			 Derbyshire -28.6 
			 Merseyside -27.8 
			 North Yorkshire -27.8 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2:  10  Basic Command Units with the largest comparable percentage decrease in total recorded crime between 2002-03 and 2008-09 
			  Basic Command Unit  Percentage decrease 
			 Gatwick airport -51.4 
			 Kingston upon Hull -41.4 
			 South Tyneside -40.7 
			 Heathrow airport -39.7 
			 West Midlands D1 -39.3 
			 West Midlands F1 -39.1 
			 West Midlands D2 -38.8 
			 Wirral -38.4 
			 West Midlands J1 -37.3 
			 West Midlands E2 -36.9 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 3:  10  police forces with the lowest rates per 1,000 population for total recorded crime-2008-09 
			  Police force area  Rate per 1,000 population 
			 Dyfed-Powys 48 
			 Norfolk 58 
			 Surrey 59 
			 North Yorkshire 62 
			 Devon and Cornwall 62 
			 Cumbria 62 
			 Wiltshire 65 
			 West Mercia 65 
			 Suffolk 66 
			 Essex 67 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 4:  10  Basic Command Units with the lowest rates per 1,000 population for total recorded crime-2008-09 
			  Basic Command Unit  Rate per 1,000 population 
			 Ceredigion 39 
			 North Yorkshire Western 45 
			 Powys 46 
			 Essex Central 49 
			 Carmarthenshire 50 
			 Pembrokeshire 51 
			 Wiltshire County 52 
			 Cornwall and Isles of Scilly 53 
			 Northumberland 53 
			 Buxton 53 
			 West Kent 53

Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent on crime awareness campaigns in universities in England and Wales in each of the last five years.

Alan Johnson: The amount spent on crime awareness campaigns in universities in England and Wales in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Spend (£) 
			 2005-06 26,300.00 
			 2006-07 0 
			 2007-08 0 
			 2008-09 0 
			 2009-10 (1)78,905.50 
			 (1) To date.

Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) muggings and  (b) snatch thefts of mobile telephones were recorded in (i) London and (ii) England and Wales in each year since 1998-99.

Alan Johnson: The information requested is not centrally available from the Home Office as muggings is a popular rather than legal term and aggregate returns from police forces are based on criminal offences. The aggregate returns also do not include details of items stolen.

Crime: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes involving the use of a knife were recorded by police in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in the last three years.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office collects data on knife and sharp instrument offences via a special additional data collection. Data are collected at force level only so data are not available for Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency.

Crime: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many recorded incidents of robbery there were  (a) in total and  (b) per head in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in the last three years;
	(2)  how many incidents of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs by 16 to 24 year olds there were in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Information for Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency is not collected centrally.
	Data are provided for Birmingham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP).
	In 2008-09, data were collected separately for the following offence codes:
	4.4-causing death by dangerous driving;
	4.6-causing death by careless driving under influence of drink or drugs; and
	4.8-causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving.
	Data are provided for all of these offence codes to enable comparisons with previous years when data are only available as a combined total.
	Additionally, data on offences of causing death by careless driving when under the influence of drink or drugs cannot be broken down by age of suspect, so data provided are for the total of these offences recorded in Birmingham CDRP.
	The available information relates to offences recorded by the police and the number of offences and rates per 1,000 population are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Selected offences recorded by Birmingham CDRP and rate per 1,000 population, 2006-07 to 2008-09 
			2006 - 07  2007 - 08  2008 - 09 
			  Offence code  Offence description  Number of offences  Rate per 1,000 population  Number of offences  Rate per 1,000 population  Number of offences  Rate per 1,000 population 
			 34A Robbery of business property 356 0.36 334 0.33 382 0.38 
			 34B Robbery of personal property 4,679 4.67 3,579 3.56 3,540 3.50 
			  Total robbery offences 5,035 5.03 3,913 3.89 3,922 3.88 
			 
			 4.4/6/8 Causing death by dangerous or careless driving (inc. under influence of drink/drugs)(1) 11 0.01 9 0.01 - - 
			 4.4 Causing death by dangerous driving(1) - - - - 4 0.00 
			 4.6 Causing death by careless driving under influence of drink or drugs(1) - - - - 1 0.00 
			 4.8 Causing death by careless or inconsiderate driving(1) - - - - 0 0.00 
			 (1) Data for offence codes 4.4, 4.6 and 4.8 are not available separately prior to 2008-09.

Crime: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded  (a) in total and  (b) per capita in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Recorded crime data are not available for the Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency. The available information relates to the Birmingham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area and is given in the following table.
	
		
			  Offences recorded by the police in Birmingham and rate per 1,000 population-2006-07 to 2008-09 
			   Number of offences  Rate per 1,000 population 
			 2006-07 119,361 12 
			 2007-08 103,527 10 
			 2008-09 95,889 9

Crime: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of recorded crime was in Birmingham in  (a) 1997 and  (b) the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not available in the form requested. Data for total recorded crime for the Birmingham Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) area are only available from 2000-01 when 153,705 offences were recorded. There were 95,889 offences recorded in the Birmingham CDRP in 2008-09. Data for these two years are not directly comparable because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002.

Crime: Houghton-le-Spring

Fraser Kemp: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the percentage change in  (a) overall recorded crime,  (b) recorded violent crime,  (c) burglary and  (d) vehicle thefts in Houghton and Washington East constituency has been between 2000 and the most recent date for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: Information is not available centrally for the Houghton and Washington, East constituency. The available information relates to the Sunderland Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership area. However, because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002, data for 2000-01 and 2008-09 are not directly comparable. Percentage changes between 2002-03 and 2008-09 for the requested offences have been given in the following table:
	
		
			  Percentage change in selected offences recorded by the police in Sunderland, 2002-03 to 2008-09 
			   Percentage change between 2002-03 and 2008-09 
			 Total recorded crime -39 
			 Violence against the person -28 
			 Burglary -54 
			 Vehicle thefts(1) -58 
			 (1) Includes theft of or from a vehicle.

Crimes of Violence: Birmingham

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders received a police caution for grievous bodily harm in Birmingham, Sparkbrook and Small Heath constituency in each year since 2007.

Alan Campbell: The number of offenders cautioned for offences relating to 'grievous bodily harm' in the West Midlands police force area, 2007 (latest available data from the Ministry of Justice) can be viewed in the following table.
	Cautions data cannot be broken down beyond police force area, therefore data for the West Midlands police force area have been provided.
	Data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned for offences relating to 'grievous bodily harm', West Midlands police force area, 2007( 1, 2, 3) 
			  Offence description  Statute  Number 
			 Wounding or inflicting grievous bodily harm, (inflicting bodily injury with or without weapon) Offences against the Person Act 1861, section 20 11 
			 (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time, the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000, the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.

Departmental Conferences

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent by his Department and its agencies on conferences they organised which were subsequently cancelled in each of the last three years; and what the title was of each such conference.

Phil Woolas: This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has allocated to spend on maintaining its Flickr channel in 2009-10.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office does not have a Flickr channel.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department has allocated to maintenance of its Twitter feed in 2009-10.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office does not have a Twitter feed at present and we have no plans to do so.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people work on his Department's social media and networking sites; and at what cost in 2009-10.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office has a channel on the YouTube video sharing website.
	One member of staff spends approximately one day per month in administering the site.

Departmental Press Releases

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press releases his Department has issued in the last 12 months.

Phil Woolas: The Home Office issued 1,249 press releases in 2009 to local and national media outlets.

Departmental Telephone Services

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the latest estimate is of the level of failure demand in each call centre run by  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not routinely recorded at present and could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DNA: Databases

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of recorded crimes of each type were detected using DNA profiles from the national DNA database in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alan Campbell: holding answer 11 January 2010
	The number and proportion of recorded crimes of each type detected in which a DNA match was available in 2008-09 is shown in Table 1. The figures held do not include crimes detected as a result of one-off speculative searches of the NDNAD or from comparing DNA profiles in a forensic laboratory. One-off speculative searches and DNA profile comparisons are used mainly in the investigation of serious crimes such as murder and rape. Therefore the figures provided in Table 1 will under-represent the overall contribution of DNA matches to the detection of serious crimes such as murder and rape.
	It is important to note that detections are achieved through integrated criminal investigation, not through DNA alone. The source of the figures provided is the forensic performance data, which are collected from police forces by the Home Office.
	Table 1 shows:
	the number and types of crimes detected for which a DNA match was available.
	additional detections, where an offender admits further offences following a detection for which a DNA match was available.
	the total of these two types of detections (labelled 'DNA-related') as a proportion of recorded crime and as a proportion of sanction detections (the sanction detection rate in 2008-09 for total recorded crime was 28 per cent.).
	The table shows that 17 per cent. of all detected domestic burglaries, 20 per cent. of all detected other burglaries (burglaries other than a dwelling e.g. commercial premises, garden sheds, etc.) and 10 per cent. of all detected thefts of vehicle were 'DNA-related'.
	It should also be noted that most recorded crimes do not have any forensic opportunities (for example, minor assault, drugs offences, theft, fraud etc.). In 2008-09, only a small proportion of recorded crimes had a crime scene examination (17 per cent.); and only 39,795 crimes yielded DNA crime scene samples of sufficient quantity and quality for profiling and loading to the NDNAD.
	The data provided are management information and have not been formally assessed for compliance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.
	
		
			  DNA-related detections 2008-09 
			  Police forensic data-crime categories  Detections of crimes in which a DNA match was available ('DNA detections')  Additional detections arising from the DNA match  Total DNA-related detections ('DNA detections' and additional detections)  Recorded crime 2008-09  Total force detections 2008-09  Total DNA-related detections as proportion of recorded crime  (percentage)  Total DNA-related detections as proportion of total force detections  (percentage) 
			 All other recorded crime 1,506 1,616 3,122 1,315,079 368,595 0.2 0.8 
			 Criminal damage 2,886 896 3,782 936,729 131,442 0.4 2.9 
			 Domestic burglary 3,702 4,015 7,717 284,445 46,500 2.7 16.6 
			 Drugs offences 397 179 576 242,907 230,962 0.2 0.2 
			 Homicide(1) 70 4 74 11,248 4,583 0.7 1.6 
			 Other burglary 3,830 2,571 6,401 296,952 31,371 2.2 20.4 
			 Other sex offences 106 34 140 38,355 12,760 0.4 1.1 
			 Other violent offences 861 168 1,029 892,745 422,224 0.1 0.2 
			 Rape 168 1 169 13,133 3,411 1.3 5.0 
			 Robbery 603 148 751 80,104 16,816 0.9 4.5 
			 Theft from vehicle 2,036 3,655 5,691 444,647 42,642 1.3 13.3 
			 Theft of vehicle 1,298 1,165 2,463 147,470 24,471 1.7 10.1 
			 Unknown 144 150 294 n/a n/a n/a n/a 
			 Total of 12 crime types 17,607 14,602 32,209 4,703,814 1,335,777 0.68 2.41 
			 (1) The forensic data homicide crime category covers the following recorded crime categories:  Murder, Manslaughter, Infanticide-648  Attempted murder-575  Intentional destruction of viable unborn child-8  Threat or conspiracy to murder-9,559  Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking etc.-31  Causing death by dangerous, careless or inconsiderate driving-427  Total 'Homicide' crimes in 2008-09-11,248  Notes: 1. A 'DNA detection' means that the crime was cleared up and a DNA match was available.  2. 'Additional detections arising from the DNA match' occur when, for example, a suspect, on being presented with DNA evidence linking him to one offence, confesses to further offences. They arise from a crime with a DNA match; and are therefore detections where a DNA match played a part in solving the crime.  3. Total 'DNA-related detections' means 'DNA detections' plus 'additional detections arising from the DNA match'.

Driving Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in each region were convicted of  (a) a motoring offence that resulted in a fatality and  (b) careless driving in 2008.

Alan Campbell: The Ministry of Justice advise that court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.

Drugs: Crime

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to Public Service Agreement 25 on drug-related offending, referred to on page 15 of his Department's Autumn Performance Report 2009, what data were used to establish the baseline measure of 260.1 proven offences per 100 offenders; how many offences of each type were defined as drug-related; and what the size was of the offender cohort.

Alan Johnson: The baseline for PSA 25 indicator 3 (rate of drug-related offending) was established using data from the Drug Interventions Management Information System (DIMIS), the Police National Computer (PNC) and the Offender Assessment System (OASys). This is a proxy measure for drug-related offending, which monitors the rate of proven offending by those identified as class A drug misusers in the course of their contact with the criminal justice system.
	The baseline (2008) cohort, identified during the period January to end March 2008, comprised 20,934 individuals identified as (class A) drug misusers. The number of offences committed by this group within 12 months following identification and proven by court conviction was 54,462 proven offences, giving a baseline rate of 260.1 per 100 offenders or 2.6 offences per offender.
	The measure includes all offence types committed by known drug misusers where a conviction at court has been recorded on the PNC. Cautions, other pre-court disposals and offences taken into consideration are not counted.

Drugs: Police Cautions

Roger Godsiff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders received a police caution for the possession of drugs in each year since 2006.

Alan Campbell: The number of offenders cautioned for possession of a controlled drug, and possession with intent to supply, in England and Wales for 2006 and 2007 (latest available from the Ministry of Justice) is given in the following table.
	Cautions and court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Number of offenders cautioned for possession of a controlled drug, England and Wales, 2006-07( 1, 2) 
			   Possession of a controlled drug  Possession with intent to supply 
			 2006 34,715 841 
			 2007 39,667 762 
			 (1) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences, the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services: Ministry of Justice.

Emergency Services: Crimes of Violence

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many attacks on  (a) police,  (b) fire and  (c) ambulance services responding to 999 calls were recorded in each police force area in each of the last three years.

Alan Johnson: The information requested cannot be provided as data on attacks on police, fire and ambulance services responding to 999 calls are collected by local forces and not reported to the Home Office.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those granted visas to study in the UK in the last three years subsequently did not complete their courses.

Phil Woolas: The information requested is not centrally recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many colleges were approved by the UK Border Agency between December 2008 and December 2009.

Phil Woolas: Between 1 December 2008 and 31 December 2009 the UK Border Agency approved 1,625 colleges to be admitted to the Register of Sponsors for tier 4 of the points based system.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas were issued from the beginning of December 2008 to December 2009; and how many such visas were issued to students from  (a) India,  (b) Pakistan and  (c) Bangladesh.

Phil Woolas: The total numbers of student visas issued globally, and to applicants from  (a) India  (b) Pakistan and  (c) Bangladesh, in the period December 2008 to September 2009, are shown in the following tables. Sub-totals of student visas issued before and after the introduction of Points Based System Tier 4 (Students) on 31 March 2009 are also shown. Visa statistics for the last quarter of 2009 will be published on 25 February.
	
		
			  Student visas-Global 
			  Endorsement category  Total 
			 PBS Tier 4 180,778 
			 Student (pre-PBS Tier 4) 67,558 
			 Grand total 248,336 
		
	
	
		
			  Student visas 
			  Endorsement category  Bangladesh  India  Pakistan  Grand total 
			 PBS Tier 4 8,527 33,742 5,152 47,421 
			 Student (pre-PBS Tier 4) 2,073 11,566 3,291 16,930 
			 Grand total 10,600 45,308 8,443 64,351 
			  Note:  1. Statistics shown are from December 2008 to September 2009.  2. PBS Tier 4 started on 31 March 2009.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations his Department has received in the last 12 months on the issue of a two-year visa for a person to visit a spouse studying in the UK where the marriage has ended before the expiry of the visa.

Phil Woolas: Information about spouses of non-European economic area nationals studying in the UK, who may have entered as a visitor and whose marriage has ended before the expiry of their visa is not recorded centrally by the UK Border Agency and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	Spouses and partners of persons who have been admitted on student visas may apply to join them as a Dependent under tier 4 of the points based system. Successful applicants will be given limited leave to enter in line with the student.
	Alternatively, they may apply for entry as a visitor in which case leave to enter would be limited to a maximum period of six months. Although regular travellers may apply for a visit visa with a validity of one, two or five years, any visit during that period must still not exceed six months.
	Where a person has been admitted as the dependent spouse of a student, and the marriage subsequently ends while their leave to enter is still valid, the basis for their claim to be admitted would no longer exist and their leave to enter would stand to be curtailed.
	A person with a spouse in the UK who has been admitted as a visitor will be expected to leave before the expiry of their visa, irrespective of whether or not the marriage is subsisting.

Exclusion Orders: Overseas Students

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what subjects at what level had been taught to foreign national students who have been deported from the UK on grounds of national security since 2001.

Phil Woolas: None of the persons deported on national security grounds since 2001 have been foreign national students.

Fixed Penalties: Chelmsford

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty fines  (a) have been issued and  (b) remain outstanding or not paid in (i) West Chelmsford constituency and (ii) Chelmsford local authority area in each of the last five years.

Alan Campbell: The information requested is not collected centrally.
	Data on fixed penalty notices and penalty notices for disorder are not broken down below police force area level.
	Information on the different types of fixed penalty notices in Essex police force area can be found as follows.
	Fixed penalties data for motoring offences for 2007 (latest available) can be found in Chapter 3 of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin Police Powers and Procedures, England and Wales 2007-08. Data on penalty notices for disorder offences for 2007 (latest available) can be found in Chapter 7 of the Ministry of Justice Publication Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 2007.
	Both bulletins referred to are available in the Library of the House.

Identity and Passport Service: Internet

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people had registered an interest in identity cards and the National Identity Service on the Identity and Passport Service website on the latest date for which figures are available.

Alan Johnson: As of 18 January 2010 there had been 16,384 registrations on the website.

Identity and Passport Service: Legal Costs

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 16 December 2009,  Official Report, column 1388W, on departmental legal costs, what the reasons are for the costs incurred by the Identity and Passport Service in  (a) 2007-08 and  (b) 2008-09.

Alan Johnson: The principal expenditure incurred in regard to external legal costs by the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) for financial year 2007-08 were attributable to advice and support provided in respect of the development, tendering and award of the IPS's Strategic Supplier Framework agreement.
	For financial year 2008-09 the principal expenditure incurred in regard to external legal costs were associated with the advice and support provided in respect of the award of contracts for the delivery of the National Identity Service and next generation passport design and production.

Identity Cards

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 5 January 2010,  Official Report, column 145W, on identity cards, what proportion of the 2,400 applicants have been enrolled in the scheme.

Alan Johnson: holding answer 20 January 2010
	Since 20 October, and up to and including 16 January, over 3,700 applicants have been enrolled or have made an enrolment appointment for an identity card.

Identity Cards: Children

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether children who apply for a national identity card will have their fingerprints taken.

Meg Hillier: The Identity Cards Act 2006 sets the minimum age for the issue of fingerprint biometric identity cards at 16.

Identity Cards: Children

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people who are not required to have an identity card have applied for a voluntary national identity card.

Meg Hillier: On 30 June 2009, I announced in a written ministerial statement that the introduction of identity cards for all British citizens will be voluntary, including those issued to airside workers at Manchester and London City airports.
	Since 20 October 2009, up to and including 18 January 2010, over 3,800 applicants have been enrolled or have made an appointment to enrol for an identity card.

National Identity Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals are recorded on the National Identity Register.

Meg Hillier: Since 20 October 2009, and up to and including 18 January 2010, over 2,700 applicants have applied and been issued with an identity card.

National Identity Register

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer to Lord Stoddart of Swindon of 14 October 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, columns 26-7WA, on the National Identity Register, how many fingerprints  (a) per person and  (b) in total he expects to be stored on the National Identity Register from 2012.

Meg Hillier: From 2012, it is intended that 10 fingerprints will be recorded as part of a person's application for a passport, or an identity card or both. Where an individual is unable to record a full set of 10 fingerprints (e.g. due to an amputation), they will be able to register as many fingerprints as it is possible for them to record.
	Between 2012 and 2022, every adult applying for a British passport would be offered the choice of being issued with a passport or an identity card, or both documents and their identity details and biometrics would be recorded on a single national identity register. The National Identity Service will be designed so that all adults resident in the UK will be able to apply for one or both of these products if they wish to do so. At present, approximately 80 per cent. of the adult population who are British apply for a passport over a 10 year period.

National Identity Scheme Commissioner: Manpower

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff work for the Office of the Identity Commissioner.

Meg Hillier: The Identity Commissioner has five members of staff. He also uses a specialist adviser to provide support when necessary.

Police

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police warrant cards have been reported  (a) lost and  (b) stolen in each year since 1997.

David Hanson: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Police: Greater Manchester

Mark Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many  (a) police officers and  (b) police civilian staff there were in Greater Manchester in (i) 1997, (ii) 2008 and (iii) 2009; and how many police community support officers there were in Greater Manchester in (A) 2008 and (B) 2009;
	(2)  how many police officers there were in Greater Manchester in each of the last 10 years.

David Hanson: The requested data are published annually in the Home Office Police Service Strength Statistical Bulletin. Recent editions are available on the Home Office website and all past editions from the Library of the House.
	The requested data are provided in the tables for the hon. Member's convenience.
	
		
			  Police  workforce strength  (FTE)( 1)  in Greater Manchester by  police force  as at 31 March in the given years 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003( 3)  2004( 3)  2005( 3)  2006( 3)  2007( 3)  2008( 3)  2009( 3) 
			 Officers(2) 6,922 6,949 6,810 6,795 6,909 7,217 7,343 8,042 8,041 7,959 7,887 7,931 8,124 
		
	
	
		
			  Police  workforce strength  (FTE)( 1)  in Greater Manchester by  police force  as at 31 March in the given years 
			   1997  2,008  2,009 
			 Staff(3,4) 2,612 3,534 3,861 
			 PCSO(5,6) - 773 782 
			 (1) This and other tables contain full-time equivalent figures that have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Because of rounding, there may be an apparent discrepancy between totals and the sums of the constituent items. (2) Comparable strength is provided for officers (excludes those on career breaks, or maternity/paternity leave). The Police Numbers Task Force (2001) recommended that a clear presentation was made of the numbers of staff employed by police forces including those seconded into the force and those on any type of long or short term absence. These new calculations were first used in 2003, and are not comparable with data prior to March 2003. The data from 2003 onwards used here are termed comparable because they have been calculated on the old basis to allow comparison. (3) Civilian Staff have been referred to as Police Staff since March 2003. Figures exclude Traffic Wardens, Police Community Support Officers and Designated Officers (s.38). (4) Staff strength figures for 2003 onwards include those staff on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. Therefore these figures are not comparable with those provided for other years in the table. (5) Full-time equivalent figures for PCSOs include those on career breaks or maternity/paternity leave. (6) Police community support officers were introduced in statute in 2002, therefore data are not available prior to 2002-03.

Serious Organised Crime Agency: Expenditure

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the  (a) largest,  (b) smallest and  (c) average expenditure was on a Serious and Organised Crime Agency operation in each year since the Agency was established; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how much and what proportion of the Serious and Organised Crime Agency's budget was spent on operations in each year since it was established; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Campbell: Operations undertaken by the Serious Organised Crime Agency vary considerably in terms of their nature, resource requirements and length. Many operations run for several years. SOCA does not 'cost' each operation. SOCA aims to apportion its operational effort against the main threats which are causing harm to the UK. These apportionments are set out in SOCA's annual plan for 2009-10.

Theft: Wales

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what crime rates were reported for  (a) vehicle-related theft and  (b) burglary in a dwelling in North Wales in each of the last three years.

Alan Campbell: Estimates of crime rates for the offence groups of vehicle-related thefts and burglaries in a dwelling are not available for North Wales from the British Crime Survey (BCS) as the size of the BCS sample is not sufficient to provide robust estimates for individual offence groups at police force area level.
	The available information relates to offences recorded by the police and rates for North Wales are given in the following table.
	
		
			  Rates per 1,000 population/household for selected offences recorded by the police in North Wales 
			   Vehicle-related theft( 1)  Burglary in a dwelling 
			   Rate per 1,000 population  Rate per 1,000 population  Rate per 1,000 households 
			 2006-07 6.4 1.8 4.2 
			 2007-08 4.9 1.7 4.1 
			 2008-09 5.3 2.2 4.9 
			 (1) Includes theft of or from a vehicle.

Vauxhall

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Vauxhall constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Alan Campbell: The Home Office has introduced a range of policies and initiatives since 1997. However, it is not always possible to quantify their effects particularly at constituency level. The available statistical information therefore relates to the London borough of Lambeth.
	In terms of police recorded crime in Lambeth, between 2002-03 and 2008-09, total recorded crime fell by 35 per cent. More specifically
	Violence against the person-down 14 per cent.
	Sexual offences-down 20 per cent.
	Robbery-down 46 per cent.
	Burglary-down 39 per cent.
	Offences against vehicles-down 56 per cent.
	Other theft offences-down 38 per cent.
	Criminal damage-down 43 per cent.
	Drug offences-up 33 per cent.
	Data prior to 2002-03 are not directly comparable because of the introduction of the National Crime Recording Standard in April 2002. Additionally, no data at borough level are available prior to 1998-99.
	Lambeth operational command unit had 1,010 police officers as at 30 September 2009. The number of police officers has increased by 174 since 2001. Comparisons with 1997 for Lambeth are not available. There were 170 police community support officers as at 30 September 2009 while there were none in existence in 1997.
	The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 saw positive effects with the statutory duty to create a crime and disorder reduction partnership (CDRP). The CDRP has brought new ways of working in a cross-cutting way with the police, council and other key stakeholders and genuine partnership working to help tackle complex issues.
	The CDRP paved the way for the Safer Neighbourhoods initiatives where there is now a dedicated police resource in each of the 21 wards in Lambeth, which were not in place in 1997.
	Lambeth's CDRP and wider partnership approach has been recognised as good practice and overall crime levels continue to reduce: there was a reduction in the seven consecutive years up to 2009.
	Before 1997 there were no bespoke powers to tackle antisocial behaviour but there are now a range of powers to deal with this issue. These include antisocial behaviour orders and designated public places orders (DPPO) from the Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001. Lambeth adopted a DPPO for Bishops Ward in Vauxhall in 2005 and a borough-wide controlled drinking zone is now in operation.
	In 1997, there were 40 CCTV cameras in Lambeth and since then two main schemes have been developed increasing CCTV to 966 cameras. The town centre scheme which has 133 cameras and 833 in housing estates and there are additionally Transport for London cameras.
	The south bank within the Vauxhall ward has been awarded £1.2 million for 'target hardening' activities (e.g. hydraulic bollards).

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Genetically Modified Organisms: Nature Conservation

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent research he has evaluated on the effects on mammalian health of genetically-modified products.

Gillian Merron: I have been asked to reply.
	Since September 2007, the Food Standards Agency has sought advice from the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) on the conclusions which may be drawn from the following published research on the effects on mammalian health of genetically modified organisms (GMOs):
	1. Malatesta et al., (2008), Histochem Cell Biol, 130, pp967-977
	2. Kilic and Akay, (2008), Food and Chemical Toxicology, 46, pp1164-1170
	3. Finamore et al., (2008), J Agric Food Chem. DOI: 10.1021/jf802059w
	4. Lelimirov et al., (2008), Forschungsberichte der Sektion IV, Band 3/2008, published by the Austrian Ministry of Health
	The ACNFP considered these publications at its meetings in September and November 2008 and February 2009. It advised that it was not possible to draw any conclusions about cause and effect in these publications or to assess the significance of these reports for mammalian (including human) health. The minutes of these meetings are available on the ACNFP website at:
	www.acnfp.gov.uk/meetings/acnfpmeet08/acnfpmeet20nov08/acnfpmin20nov08
	www.acnfp.gov.uk/meetings/acnfpmeet09/acnfpfeb09/acnfpmin190209

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of the fee accompanying a planning application for a wind turbine development is allocated to the local authority responsible for the initial assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Austin: I have been asked to reply.
	Wind turbines can currently be considered through the Electricity Act 1989, Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Transport and Works Act 1992. Planning application fees for wind turbines considered under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 will go to the relevant local planning authority that receives the application. From 1 March applications for onshore wind turbines generating more than 50 Megawatts will be considered by the Infrastructure Planning Commission under the Planning Act 2008.

CABINET OFFICE

Charities: Complaints

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate she has made of the number and percentage of charities which do not have established complaints procedures in the latest year for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: I have asked the chief executive of the Charity Commission to reply:
	 Letter from Andrew Hind, dated January 2010:
	As the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission, I have been asked to respond to your written Parliamentary Question on the number and percentage of charities which do not have established complaints procedures in the latest year for which figures are available (312340).
	The Commission does not hold this information on charities centrally and there is no requirement for them to report to us regularly on it. However, in 2005 we conducted a survey, the results of which were published in our report, Cause for Complaint? How charities manage complaints about their services. This found that, of the 1,129 charities surveyed, 69% of charities did not have a complaints procedure. The figure ranged from 38% among very large charities (those with an annual income of over £1 million) to 86% among small charities (those with an income of £10,000 or less). Further details are below.
	
		
			  Does your organisation have a complaints procedure? 
			  Percentage 
			   Total  Small  Medium  Large  Very large 
			 Yes 30 12 38 59 62 
			 No 69 86 61 40 38 
			 No answer 1 2 1 1 - 
		
	
	We commissioned a postal survey of a random sample of 3,000 registered charities, weighted across four income bands. The postal survey achieved a 38% response rate, which is high for surveys of this nature. In total, 1,129 completed forms were returned for analysis. This allows a confidence interval exceeding +/- 3%, which is industry standard. The full publication can be viewed on the Charity Commission website:
	www.charity-commission.gov.uk/publications/rs11annexs.asp
	We certainly encourage charities to establish complaints procedures as a matter of good practice, but have not repeated this piece of research. I have arranged for a copy of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.
	I hope this is helpful.

Charities: Finance

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what funding her Department has provided to charities to tackle socio-economic disadvantage and promote social inclusion in the last 12 months.

Angela Smith: The Office of the Third Sector (OTS) provides significant funding to third sector organisations including charities as part of a three-year £515 million programme. While this money is not ring-fenced specifically for social inclusion or combating socio-economic disadvantage, it does recognise the sector's role in strengthening communities and empowering citizens, including those vulnerable to social exclusion.
	In 2009-10 the Office responded to assist the work of charities and other third sector organisations through the recession, through a comprehensive package of support including:
	The £15.5 million targeted Support Fund grants to help third sector organisations tackle the impact of the recession in our communities.
	The £16.5 million Modernisation Fund to help charities and social enterprises maximise their effectiveness during the downturn.
	The £17.5 million Hardship Fund to enable third sector organisations in England facing immediate financial hardship due to the recession to deliver their front-line services.
	The budget for the Office of the Third Sector is published in the Main Estimates and updated in the Winter and Spring Supplementary Estimates each year. Expenditure data across OTS programmes in 2009-10 will be available in the Cabinet Office Annual Report and Accounts expected to be published before summer recess.

Civil Servants: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which executive agencies are not deemed to be part of the civil service for the purposes of civil service headcounts.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning, which executive agencies are not deemed to be part of the Civil Service for the purposes of Civil Service headcounts. I am replying in his absence. (312180)
	ONS estimates of Civil Service employment count all home Civil Service employees. Civil Service employees can be classified to central government or public corporations. Home Civil Service estimates exclude the Northern Ireland Civil Service and other Crown servants.
	Forest Enterprise England and Forest Research are not deemed to be part of the Civil Service for the purposes of Civil Service headcounts as they are not considered to be part of the home Civil Service.
	The Northern Ireland Prison Service is also not deemed to be part of the Civil Service for the purposes of Civil Service headcounts as it is part of the Northern Ireland Civil Service.

Civil Servants: Personnel Management

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the written ministerial statement of 24 June 2009,  Official Report, column 57WS, on Report to Parliament on Civil Service Delegations/Authorisations, what the details of each delegation or authorisation were; and what the purpose was of each.

Angela Smith: The Civil Service Management Code is available in its entirety at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/resources/csmc/index.aspx
	The details of each delegation referred to in the ministerial statement of 24 June 2009 are as listed in the introduction to the Management Code; specifically in paragraph 3 of that introduction.
	Delegations permit Departments and agencies, subject to any central conditions attached to those delegations, to set and be responsible for rules governing the terms and conditions of service of civil servants, according to the organisation's circumstances and operational needs.

Civil Servants: Recruitment

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what guidance her Department has produced for other departments on re-employing former civil servants as  (a) fee-paid staff,  (b) contractors,  (c) agency staff and  (d) consultants.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office does not issue guidance on re-employing former civil servants as fee paid staff, contractors, agency staff and consultants as these are the subject of Departments' own policies.

Civil Servants: Surveys

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 20 July 2009,  Official Report, column 1035W, on civil servants: pay, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey dataset, redacting identifiable personal data.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question, with reference to the Answer of 20 July 2009, Official Report, column 1035W, on Civil Servants: pay, if she will place in the Library a copy of the Annual Civil Service Employment Survey dataset, redacting identifiable personal data. I am replying in his absence. (312461).
	It is not usual practice for the Office for National Statistics (ONS) to place individual data records in the Library. Most ONS datasets are available for statistical research only, through dedicated archives and under licence or research contract agreements. Generating a suitably redacted database for public use would both incur disproportionate cost and render the capacity for research to be very low. As such, ONS will not place a copy of the ACSES dataset in the Library.
	It is the responsibility of ONS to protect data. Once they are publicly released a motivated intruder could use private data sources to attempt to identify individuals, and learn something about them such as salary or their disability status. This could lay ONS open to legal action, as well as bringing the office into disrepute.
	If a Member of Parliament requires specific analyses they are able to commission them from ONS. An alternative is to use an approved researcher to undertake analyses on their behalf using microdata held in the ONS' Virtual Microdata Laboratory.

Death: Obesity

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many obesity-related deaths there have been in each year since 1997.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	A copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Internet

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the written statement of 24 November 2009,  Official Report, column 34WS, on the departmental expenditure limit 2009-10, what the timetable is for the creation of the new Public Appointments website; and what additional features and information will be provided by the website.

Tessa Jowell: The new public appointments website was launched on 1 November 2009. The site provides, in one place, details of vacancies on the boards of public bodies and signposts new information on public appointments and the public appointments process. In line with the Government's commitment to an open and transparent appointments process, the new site has been designed to increase the visibility and accessibility of information on public appointments. The site can be viewed via:
	www.direct.gov.uk/publicappointments

Departmental Legislation

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what criminal offences have been  (a) created and  (b) abolished by primary legislation sponsored by her Department since 1 May 2008.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office has not sponsored any primary legislation enacted since 1 May 2008.

Departmental Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 18 May 2009,  Official Report, column 1254W, on departmental manpower, what the job title was of each of the 200 staff working in No. 10 Downing Street on 1 April 2009.

Angela Smith: Details of key officials in the Prime Minister's Office can be found in Vacher's Quarterly and Dod's Civil Service Companion. Copies can be found in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much her Department spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how much has been spent on  (a) new furnishings,  (b) works of art and  (c) new vehicles in respect of (i) No. 10 Downing Street and (ii) the Office of the Leader of the House in each of the last three years.

Angela Smith: The Prime Minister's Office and the Office of the Leader of the House of Commons are integral parts of the Cabinet Office. Expenditure by the Cabinet Office on new furnishings in the past three years can be provided only at disproportionate cost. No expenditure has been incurred by the Cabinet Office on new works of art or new vehicles from 2006-07 to 2008-09.

Departmental Reprography

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the yearly running costs, excluding value added tax and including service fees and rental costs, of a photocopier in her Department were in the latest year for which information is available.

Angela Smith: The Cabinet Office no longer uses photocopiers in the Department. Multi-function devices (MFDs) which provide printing, photocopying and scanning functions in a single machine are deployed on our corporate IT network as part of our overall IT service contract. The yearly cost, which includes supply, service, repair and replacement, for each of the three types of MFD available is:
	(1) Fully serviced A4 paper size only monochrome MFD - £1,333.32 per annum
	(2) Fully serviced A4 and A3 paper size monochrome MFD - £2,542.68 per annum
	(3) Fully serviced A4 and A3 paper size colour-capable MFD - £3,488.64 per annum

Departmental Responsibilities

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will place in the Library a copy of her Office's most recent organisational chart.

Angela Smith: I will place a copy of the Cabinet Office's most recent organisational chart in the Library.

Disclosure of Information: Home Office

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether her Department plans to respond to the parts of the Review of the lessons learned from the Metropolitan Police Service's investigation of Home Office leaks by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary that relate to it.

Tessa Jowell: As I said in my answer on 28 October 2009,  Official Report, column 267, the lessons of the O'Connor and Johnston reports will be applied in full.
	We have already released Official Information: standards of conduct and procedures which includes the adoption of the Chief Inspector's protocol for future consideration of police involvement in leak investigations. We are assessing our leak investigation capabilities and the internal guidance on the detailed handling of leak investigations is currently under review.

Electorate

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the difference was between the size of the electorate in each parliamentary constituency in 1997 and  (a) the date of dissolution of the 2001-05 Parliament for each constituency in Scotland and  (b) the most recent date for which figures are available for each constituency in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	A copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Employment: Portsmouth

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people are employed in the  (a) service sector and  (b) financial sector in Portsmouth; and how many people are employed in (i) commerce and (ii) manufacturing in each industry sector in (A) Portsmouth South constituency and (B) Portsmouth.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many people are employed in (a) the service sector and (b) the financial sector in Portsmouth; and how many people are employed in (i) commerce in each industry sector and (ii) manufacturing in each industry sector in (A) Portsmouth South constituency and (B) Portsmouth. I am replying in his absence. (313076)
	Annual statistics on the number of employees are available from the ONS release, the Annual Business Inquiry. These figures detail the number of employees and exclude self employed. An estimate of jobs is not available at the detailed regional level requested. The latest period for which figures are available is 2008.
	Table 1 provides the information available on the number of employees in the manufacturing sector for Portsmouth South constituency and Portsmouth in 2008. Table 2 provides the number of employees in the service sector for Portsmouth South constituency and Portsmouth. There is no class for commerce in the Standard Industrial Classification therefore ONS has provided information for sections in the service sector.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of employees in the manufacturing sector for Portsmouth and Portsmouth South Constituency, 2008 
			   Industry  Portsmouth South Constituency  Portsmouth 
			 10 Manufacture of food products (1)- (1)- 
			 11 Manufacture of beverages (1)- (1)- 
			 12 Manufacture of tobacco products 0 0 
			 13 Manufacture of textiles (1)- (1)- 
			 14 Manufacture of wearing apparel (1)- (1)- 
			 15 Manufacture of leather and related products (1)- (1)- 
			 16 Manufacture of wood and of products of wood and cork, except furniture; manufacture of articles of straw and plaiting materials (1)- (1)- 
			 17 Manufacture of paper and paper products (1)- (1)- 
			 18 Printing and reproduction of recorded media (1)- 300 
			 19 Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products (1)- (1)- 
			 20 Manufacture of chemicals and chemical products (1)- (1)- 
			 21 Manufacture of basic pharmaceutical products and pharmaceutical preparations 0 0 
			 22 Manufacture of rubber and plastic products (1)- 700 
			 23 Manufacture of other non-metallic mineral products (1)- (1)- 
			 24 Manufacture of basic metals  (1)- 
			 25 Manufacture of fabricated metal products, except machinery and equipment (1)- 1,300 
			 26 Manufacture of computer, electronic and optical products (1)- 900 
			 27 Manufacture of electrical equipment (1)- (1)- 
			 28 Manufacture of machinery and equipment n.e.c. (1)- (1)- 
			 29 Manufacture of motor vehicles, trailers and semi-trailers (1)- (1)- 
			 30 Manufacture of other transport equipment (1)- (1)- 
			 31 Manufacture of furniture (1)- (1)- 
			 32 Other manufacturing (1)- 100 
			 33 Repair and installation of machinery and equipment (1)- (1)- 
			 C Total Manufacturing 3,600 9,600 
			 (1) Figures have been suppressed to prevent disclosure  Source: Annual Business Inquiry 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of employees in the service sector for Portsmouth and Portsmouth South Constituency, 2008 
			   Industry  Portsmouth South Constituency  Portsmouth 
			 G Wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles 8,100 15,400 
			 H Transportation and storage 2,300 3,700 
			 I Accommodation and food service activities 5,000 8,000 
			 J Information and communication 1,200 5,600 
			 K Financial and insurance activities 700 -2i400 
			 L Real estate activities 500 900 
			 M Professional, scientific and technical activities 1,200 3,300 
			 N Administrative and support service activities 4,100 8,100 
			 O Public administration and defence; compulsory social security 7,000 9,700 
			 P Education 5,600 9,000 
			 Q Human health and social work activities 7,400 15,000 
			 R Arts, entertainment and recreation 2,300 3,000 
			 S Other service activities 1,100 1,700 
			  Total Service Sector 46,400 85,700 
			  Source: Annual Business Inquiry

Government Departments: Disclosure of Information

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 11 November 2009,  Official Report, column 411W, on disclosure of information, if she will place in the Library a copy of the current edition of the document, Handling unauthorised disclosures, redacting information which could harm national security.

Tessa Jowell: Copies of Official Information: standards of conduct and procedures have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
	Detailed internal guidance on the conduct of the investigation of leaks and procedures for use by Government Departments is also held. There are no plans for this to be published with or without redactions. Publishing details of working methods and investigative techniques would compromise the effective conduct of investigations in future.

Government Departments: ICT

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was spent on information and communication technology across central Government in the latest year for which information is available.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of ICT expenditure across central Government are not held centrally; however estimates are contained in the Operational Efficiency Programme published in Budget 2009.
	The Operational Efficiency Programme can be accessed via the following link:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/oep_collaborative_ procurement_pu731.pdf

Government Departments: ICT

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much has been spent on information and communications technology across central Government since 1997-98.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	Details of central Government ICT expenditure since 1997-98 are not held centrally. However, data on the IT expenditure since 2006 for those parts of the public sector represented on the Chief Information Officers' Council can be found in the Transformational Governments Annual Reports using the following link.
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/cio/transformational _government.aspx

Government Departments: Information Officers

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will place in the Library a copy of the Central Office of Information's White Book produced for the second half of 2009.

Angela Smith: I have asked the chief executive of the Central Office of Information to write to the hon. Member.
	 Letter from Mark Lund, dated 19 January 2010:
	asking for a copy of the most recent edition of The White Book.
	A copy of The White Book published in September 2009 will be placed in the library of the House.

Government Departments: Manpower

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many layers of line management there are in her Department; and what estimate she has made of the average number of layers of line management in each Government Department.

Tessa Jowell: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 12 November 2009,  Official Report, column 756W.
	Information concerning the number of layers of line management in each Government Department is published on the Office for National Statistics website. The table will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Health: Torbay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the  (a) diagnosis and  (b) mortality rate for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer was in Torbay constituency in each of the last 10 years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the (a) diagnosis and (b) mortality rate for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer was in Torbay constituency in each of the last 10 years. I am replying in his absence. (312399)
	Figures on newly diagnosed cases (incidence) of chronic lung disease and coronary heart disease are not readily available. Mortality and incidence rates for parliamentary constituencies which do not share boundaries exactly with a local authority can be calculated only from 2001 onwards. The tables below provide (a) the age standardised cancer incidence rate and (b) age standardised mortality rates for (i) chronic lung disease, (ii) coronary heart disease and (iii) cancer in Torbay parliamentary constituency for the years 2001 to 2007 (the latest available).
	Parliamentary constituency population estimates on which these rates are based are experimental statistics, that is, statistics which are in a testing or consultation phase, and therefore should be treated with caution.
	
		
			  Table 1: Age-standardised cancer incidence rates,( 1,2)  Torbay parliamentary constituency,( 3)  2001 to 2007( 4,5) 
			  Cases per 100,000 
			   Number 
			 2001 382 
			 2002 364 
			 2003 351 
			 2004 384 
			 2005 407 
			 2006 422 
			 2007 362 
			 (1) Age-standardised cancer registration rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Cancer incidence defined using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes C00-C97 excluding code C44: non-melanoma skin cancer. (3) Based on boundaries and postcode allocation, as of 2009. (4) Newly diagnosed cases registered in each calendar year. (5) Parliamentary constituency population estimates used to calculate the incidence rates are experimental statistics. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Age standardised mortality rates for chronic lung disease, coronary heart disease and cancer,( 1,2)  Torbay parliamentary constituency,( 3)  2001 to 2007( 4) 
			  Deaths per 100,000 
			   Chronic lung disease  Chronic heart disease  Cancer 
			 2001 27 117 191 
			 2002 20 93 197 
			 2003 26 119 174 
			 2004 23 94 155 
			 2005 27 97 173 
			 2006 26 79 161 
			 2007 27 81 171 
			 (1) Age-standardised mortality rates per 100,000 population, standardised to the European Standard Population. Age-standardised rates are used to allow comparison between populations which may contain different proportions of people of different ages. (2) Cause of death was defined using International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) codes J40-J47 for chronic lung disease, 120-125 for coronary heart disease and C00-C97 for cancer. (3) Based on boundaries and postcode allocation, as of 2009. (4) Parliamentary constituency population estimates used to calculate the incidence rates are experimental statistics.

Intelligence Services: ICT

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what the cost to the public purse was of the Scope IT project; how much was paid to IBM in respect of the project; and how much is planned to be spent on the replacement for the project;
	(2)  whether her Department plans to undertake legal action to recover losses from the Scope IT project.

Tessa Jowell: There is nothing further to add my written ministerial statement on 16 July 2009,  Official Report, column 41WS.
	It is not practice to publish the costs of intelligence-related programmes. They are subject to scrutiny by the Intelligence and Security Committee, whose reports are available in the Library for the reference of Members.

Job Creation

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate  (a) the Office of National Statistics and  (b) the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of net additional jobs created by the Government's stimulus initiatives.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking what estimate (a) the Office of National Statistics and (b) the UK Statistics Authority has made of the number of net additional jobs created by the Government's stimulus initiatives. I am replying in his absence. (312296)
	The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is the executive office of the UK Statistics Authority with responsibility for the production of statistics. To date, the ONS has not made an estimate of the number of net additional jobs created by the Government's stimulus initiatives.

Life Expectancy: South West

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average life expectancy for  (a) men and  (b) women in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall geographical region (i) is and (ii) was in (A) 1999, (B) 1989 and (C) 1979.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the average life expectancy for (a) men and (b) women in each constituency in Devon and Cornwall geographical region (i) is and (ii) was in (A) 1999, (B) 1989 and (C) 1979.1 am replying in his absence. (312398)
	Period life expectancies at birth for (a) males and (b) females for all local authority districts and unitary authorities in England and Wales, for rolling three-year periods from 1991-93 to 2006-08, are published on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/statbase/Product.asp?vlnk=8841
	Life expectancy figures at parliamentary constituency level arc not readily available.

Ministers: Meetings

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what her Department's timetable is for the publication online of information about ministerial meetings with outside interest groups.

Tessa Jowell: The information for the period 1 October to 31 December 2009 is currently being collated and will be published as soon as it is ready.

National Security

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment she has made of energy and climate change-related threats to national security.

Tessa Jowell: The first annual update to the National Security Strategy, published in June 2009, identified both competition for energy, and climate change, as important factors that contribute to shaping threats to the UK's national security.
	In the case of competition for energy, the strategy sets out a number of likely trends in terms of increasing global energy consumption, increasing scarcity of resource, and concentration of those resources in areas that are: (a) harder to find, reach or access, and (b) in areas of environmental sensitivity and/or political instability.
	Climate change can act as a driver of insecurity, internationally through exacerbation of existing social, economic and political sources of tension, and domestically through increased frequency of extreme weather events. In this context, the Government have also begun work on the first UK Climate Change Risk Assessment; as the National Security Strategy states, national security risks will be considered as part of this broader work, and will inform the National Risk Register.

Non-departmental Public Bodies: Expenditure

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how much was spent from the public purse on executive non-departmental public bodies in 2008-09;
	(2)  how much has been spent from the public purse on advisory non-departmental public bodies in each year since 1996-97.

Tessa Jowell: Information on total Government funding of executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) is published annually in the Cabinet Office publication Public Bodies. Information for the 2008-09 financial year will be published shortly. Information on total Government funding of advisory NDPBs is included in departmental reports.

Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the  (a) mean and  (b) median full-time wage for (i) private sector and (ii) public sector employees was in (A) 1997 and (B) the most recent period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the (a) mean and (b) median full-time wage for (i) private sector and (ii) public sector employees was in (A) 1997 and (B) the most recent period for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (312358)
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Levels of earnings are estimated from the ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence. The public and private sector breakdown is based on the Inter-Departmental Business Register legal status.
	I attach a table showing the mean and median gross weekly earnings for all full-time employees in the public and private sectors for 1997 and 2009.
	
		
			  Mean and median weekly pay-gross for full-time employee jobs( 1) : United Kingdom 1997 and 2009 
			  (£) 
			   1997  2009 
			   Mean  Median  Mean  Median 
			 Public 373 349 605 539 
			 Private 373 309 581 465 
			 (1) Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence. As at April of each year.  Source: Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Pay

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average percentage rise in salary has been for  (a) members of the academic staff in further education colleges,  (b) teachers in secondary schools,  (c) public sector employees and  (d) private sector employees in cash terms in the last three years.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what the average percentage rise in salary has been for  (a) members of the academic staff in further education colleges,  (b) teachers in secondary schools,  (c) public sector employees and  (d) private sector employees in cash terms in the last three years. I am replying in his absence. (312886)
	The Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE), carried out in April each year, is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in the United Kingdom. Annual levels of earnings are estimated from the ASHE, and are provided for employees on adult rates of pay, who have been in the same job for more than a year. ASHE estimates by occupation are based on the Standard Occupation Classification 2000. The public and private sector breakdown is based on the Inter-Departmental Business Register legal status.
	I attach a table showing the percentage rise in median gross annual earnings for all full-time employees for each of the above occupations and sectors in the last three years.
	
		
			  Annual percentage rise in median gross annual earnings for full-time employee jobs( 1) , United Kingdom, 2007 to 2009 
			   2007  2008  2009 
			 Further education teaching professionals(2) 5.3 2.8 2.6 
			 Secondary education teaching professionals(2) 2.0 3.0 2.6 
			 Public sector 3.3 3.9 3.8 
			 Private sector 2.9 4.9 1.9 
			 (1) Full-time employees on adult rates who have been in the same job for more than a year.  (2) Standard Occupation Classification 2000.   Source:  Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Office for National Statistics.

Pay

Julia Goldsworthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many  (a) men and  (b) women in each local authority area earn more than £100,000 per annum.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	A copy of the letter will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Private Sector: Productivity

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures the Office for National Statistics uses of private sector productivity; and what estimate has been made of the change in private sector productivity since 1997 or the closest period of time for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what measures the Office for National Statistics uses of private sector productivity; and what estimate has been made of the change in private sector productivity since 1997 or the closest period of time for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (312283)
	Quarterly productivity statistics are available from the ONS release on Productivity at: www.statistics.gov.uk. Productivity estimates are not available for the private sector but experimental statistics are produced for the Market Sector. The market sector includes almost all market activity and excludes most non-market activity, in particular that of general government. The measurement includes public corporations. Market Sector estimates are produced on an output per worker basis from 1991 onwards and an output per hour basis from 1999 onwards. Table 1 contains the latest statistics available for market sector productivity.
	
		
			  Table 1: Market sector productivity quarter on same quarter a year ago growth (experimental) 
			  Period  Output per worker  Output per hour 
			 1997   
			 Q1 1.5 - 
			 Q2 1.2 - 
			 Q3 1.5 - 
			 Q4 2.6 - 
			
			 1998   
			 Q1 3.1 - 
			 Q2 3.8 - 
			 Q3 3.6 - 
			 Q4 3.0 - 
			
			 1999   
			 Q1 2.4 - 
			 Q2 2.5 - 
			 Q3 2.9 - 
			 Q4 3.0 - 
			
			 2000   
			 Q1 3.6 - 
			 Q2 3.7 4.4 
			 Q3 3.0 4.0 
			 Q4 2.7 3.0 
			
			 2001   
			 Q1 2.6 1.7 
			 Q2 1.5 1.0 
			 Q3 1.7 1.2 
			 Q4 1.0 2.1 
			
			 2002   
			 Q1 0.9 1.7 
			 Q2 0.9 3.0 
			 Q3 1.3 2.3 
			 Q4 1.6 2.5 
			
			 2003   
			 Q1 1.3 2.4 
			 Q2 2.1 2.0 
			 Q3 2.0 2.8 
			 Q4 3.1 3.9 
			
			 2004   
			 Q1 3.1 3.4 
			 Q2 3.4 4.0 
			 Q3 2.6 3.2 
			 Q4 2.0 1.0 
			
			 2005   
			 Q1 1.4 0.7 
			 Q2 1.4 1.7 
			 Q3 1.6 1.2 
			 Q4 2.2 2.3 
			
			 2006   
			 Q1 2.8 3.2 
			 Q2 20 18 
			 Q3 2.0 2.5 
			 Q4 1.7 2.2 
			
			 2007   
			 Q1 2.5 2.3 
			 Q2 2.5 1.9 
			 Q3 2.7 2.5 
			 Q4 1.7 2.6 
			
			 2008   
			 Q1 1.0 0.7 
			 Q2 0.4 1.7 
			 Q3 -0.5 -0.3 
			 Q4 -2.5 -2.2 
			
			 2009   
			 Q1 -5.6 -3.0 
			 Q2 -5.1 4.5 
			 Q3 -4.6 -3.2

Public Sector: Productivity

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what measures the Office for National Statistics uses of public sector productivity; and what estimate has been made of the change in public sector productivity since 1997 or for the closest period for which figures are available.

Angela Smith: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Dennis Roberts, dated January 2010:
	The Director General for the Office for National Statistics has been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what measures the Office for National Statistics uses of public sector productivity; and what estimate has been made of the change in public sector productivity since 1997 or for the closest period for which figures are available. I am replying in his absence. (312265)
	Public sector productivity growth estimates are available from the ONS Public Service Productivity articles at www.statistics.gov.uk These are experimental statistics. They include all services funded by the public sector whether or not they are produced by the public sector. Hence the concept of output is gross output, not value added. Public sector productivity growth estimates are produced on a multi-factor basis; the concept of input includes intermediate consumption, capital and labour. Table 1 contains the latest statistics available for public sector productivity.
	
		
			  Table 1: Total public service ouput, input and productivity estimate, 1997 to 2007, United Kingdom, per cent. change from 1997 
			   1997  1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  Mean 
			 Volume of Output 0.0 1.6 3.7 7.4 10.8 15.8 20.7 25.1 28.5 31.9 33.6 2.9 
			 Volume of Input 0.0 1.4 4.1 8.9 12.0 18.7 25.5 30.5 34.6 37.0 38.0 3.3 
			 Productivity 0.0 0.2 -0.4 -1.4 -1.1 -2.4 -3.8 -4.1 -4.5 -3.7 -3.2 -0.3

Public Services Forum Task Group

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on what dates the Public Services Forum task group on the Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice in Government Contracting has met in the last 12 months; and what the membership of the group is.

Tessa Jowell: The Public Services Forum Task Group on the Joint Statement on Access to Skills, Trade Unions and Advice in Government Contracting has not met in the last 12 months having formally wound up following publication of the Joint Statement on 15 July 2008.

Third Sector: Codes of Practice

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the National Code of Governance for the Voluntary and Community Sectors; and if she will make a statement.

Angela Smith: Good Governance: A Code for the Voluntary and Community Sector was produced in 2005, through the Governance Hub, funded by Capacitybuilders. A review of the code in 2008 found that the code was welcomed by the sector. 42 per cent. of respondents had used it. The Charity Commission encourages all charities to use it, as a practical and easy-to-use guide to help develop good practice. The Commission recently consulted on updating the core principles in the code.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

David Willetts: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessor has spent on advertising apprenticeship schemes and services in each of the last five years.

Kevin Brennan: The National Apprenticeship Service, and formerly the Learning and Skills Council, are responsible for promoting apprenticeships to employers and young people. I have asked Geoff Russell, chief executive of the Learning and Skills Council, to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 22 January 2010:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question 304162 that asked: how much has been spent on advertising apprenticeship schemes and services in each of the last five years
	Figures spent on production and placement of advertising on Apprenticeships in the last five years are below:
	2005/06: £31,672
	2006/07: £5,088
	2007/08: £1,299,962
	2008/09: £5,013,015
	2009/10: £1,600,000 has been budgeted to be spent.
	Total for the five years: £7.95m
	The higher levels of spend in 2008/09 were a result of the first television advertising of Apprenticeships taking place since 2004. The advertising prompted over 14,000 employers to contact the NAS about taking on apprentices.

Apprentices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what proportion of people starting apprenticeship schemes have been from an ethnic minority background since 1997;
	(2)  what proportion of people starting apprenticeship schemes in each year since 1997 were  (a) male and  (b) female.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the number of apprenticeship starts is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 17 December:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfrdec09
	Supplementary table 6.1 shows apprenticeship starts (number and percentage) by gender and ethnic group. This table includes data for 2003/04 onwards, the earliest year for which comparable information is available.

Apprentices

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many people have dropped out of apprenticeships in each year since 1997;
	(2)  how many people started but did not complete an apprenticeship in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: Table 1 shows the status of all learners participating on an apprenticeship in each academic year from 2008/09 back to 2003/04, the earliest year for which we have comparable information.
	
		
			  Table 1: Status of all apprentices participating in the academic year 
			  Apprenticeship status  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08  2008/09 
			 Total apprenticeship participants 400,400 411,200 403,000 388,000 418,900 444,800 
			  Of which:   
			 Continuing to subsequent year 221,900 233,400 207,800 197,300 218,700 215,800 
			 Achieved in year(1) 55,100 80,100 108,400 119,200 122,600 159,800 
			 Did not achieve/withdrew in year 120,100 90,900 78,000 61,100 62,300 62,400 
			 Transferred 3,200 6,900 8,800 10,300 15,300 6,700 
			 (1) 'Achieved in Year' figures includes some learners that only achieved the national vocational qualification component of their apprenticeship framework. For this reason, achievement figures are higher than those published for framework achievements in the BIS Statistical First Release at: http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfrdec09/  Notes: 1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 100 and may not sum to totals. 2. Figures represent participation on apprenticeship frameworks. This includes starts in the academic year, and the continuation of frameworks from earlier years. 3. For earlier years, it is not possible to separate out those learners that withdrew from those learners did not achieve.  Source: WBL/ERILR 
		
	
	The above information looks at all apprentices participating in a given academic year, regardless of when they started their apprenticeship. This is different from how the apprenticeship completion rate is calculated. The completion rate is based on a cohort of learners, and measures the proportion of those learners that successfully achieve. The apprenticeship completion rate has improved significantly in recent years, increasing from 37 per cent. in 2004/05 to a record 71 per cent. in 2008/09.

Apprentices

Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many people aged  (a) between 16 and 18,  (b) 18 and 25 and  (c) over 25 years old started an advanced apprenticeship in the most recent 12 months for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many adults started a Level 2 apprenticeship in each year since 1997;
	(3)  how many adults started an advanced apprenticeship in each year since 1997.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the number of Apprenticeship starts by level and age is published in a quarterly statistical first release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 17 December:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/sfrdec09.

Apprentices

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills in which industry sectors have apprenticeships been created under the National Apprenticeship Service.

Pat McFadden: Since April 2009 eight new or revised apprenticeship frameworks have been created in the industry sectors, listed as follows. Employers and other bodies within the industry, working with sector skills councils (SSCs), develop and publish apprenticeship frameworks.
	
		
			  Apprenticeship framework  Industry sector 
			 Paper and Board Manufacture Construction Planning and the Built Environment 
			 Logistics Operations Management Retail and Commercial Enterprise 
			 Providing Security Services Health, Public Services and Care 
			 Security Systems Health, Public Services and Care 
			 Horticulture Agriculture, Horticulture, and Animal Care 
			 Fashion and Textiles Retail and Commercial Enterprise 
			 Facilities Management Retail and Commercial Enterprise 
			 Laboratory Technicians Health, Public Services and Care

Apprentices: Costs

Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average cost to the public purse of a fully-funded apprenticeship was in the last period for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: This Department and the Department for Children, Schools and Families allocate funding to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the provision of apprenticeships in England. Planned investment for 16 to 18 and adult apprenticeships for 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years is given in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			   Financial year 
			   2009-10  2010-11 
			 16 to 18 Apprenticeships 695,000 780,000 
			 Adult (aged 19 and over) Apprenticeships 389,914 398,410 
			  Sources:  1. Adult apprenticeships-BIS Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11, November 2009  2. 16 to 19 Apprenticeships-DCSF, 16 to 19 Statement of Priorities and Investment Strategy 2010-11. 
		
	
	Apprenticeships for those aged 16 to 18 are fully funded by the public purse. For learners aged 19 or over the employer is expected to make a contribution towards the cost of the course.
	The public cost of delivering an apprenticeship varies significantly depending on the industry in which the apprenticeship framework is being delivered; whether the framework is at level 2 or 3; and whether the participant is in the 16 to 18, 19 to 25 or 25+ age group. For example the LSC estimate that it costs £2,749 to deliver a level 2 adult apprenticeship framework in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools and £4,083 to deliver the level 3 equivalent framework. Between industries the difference in estimated costs can be more marked. LSC estimate that the cost of delivering a level 3 adult apprenticeship in clock and watch repair is £13,409 but the cost of an adult apprenticeship at the same level in business and administration is £3,327.
	It is not therefore possible to provide a meaningful average cost to the public purse of an apprenticeship.

Apprentices: Per Capita Costs

Annette Brooke: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much was spent per adult student participating in  (a) apprenticeships and  (b) advanced apprenticeships in the latest year for which figures are available.

Kevin Brennan: This Department allocates funding to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) for the provision of adult (aged 19 and over) apprenticeships in England. Planned spend on adult apprenticeships for 2008-09 to 2010-11 financial years is given in the following table.
	
		
			  £000 
			  Financial year  Adult (aged 19 and over) apprenticeships 
			 2008-09 332,911 
			 2009-10 389,914 
			 2010-11 398,410 
			  Source: BIS Skills Investment Strategy 2010-11, November 2009 
		
	
	The public cost of delivering an apprenticeship varies significantly depending on the industry in which the apprenticeship framework is being delivered; whether the framework is at Level 2 or 3; and whether the participant is in the 16 to 18, 19 to 25 or 25+ age group. For example, the LSC estimate that it costs £2,749 to deliver a Level 2 adult apprenticeship framework in Supporting Teaching and Learning in Schools and £4,083 to deliver the Level 3 equivalent framework. Between industries the difference in estimated costs can be more marked. LSC estimate that the cost of delivering a Level 3 adult apprenticeship in clock and watch repair is £13,409 but the cost of an adult apprenticeship at the same level in Business and Administration is £3,327.
	It is not therefore possible to provide a meaningful average cost to the public purse of an adult apprenticeship at Level 2 or 3.

Billing

Edward Vaizey: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will undertake an impact assessment for the  (a) retail and  (b) bill payments sector of Camelot's proposed entry into the ancillary services market, with particular reference to its proposals on (i) bill payment and (ii) mobile telephone top-up services.

Pat McFadden: This is a matter for the Office of Fair Trading which has a responsibility for investigating competition matters within markets, including Camelot's proposed entry into the ancillary services market.

Child Care Facilities: Yorkshire and the Humber

John Battle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on the number of companies in  (a) Leeds West constituency,  (b) Leeds and  (c) West Yorkshire which provide child care facilities.

Dawn Primarolo: I have been asked to reply.
	The Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey collects information on the ownership of child care provision in England. The survey does not have information at local authority level. The 2008 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey found that, of the 3,000 child care providers (i.e. full day care, full day care in children's centres, sessional and out of school provision) in Yorkshire and the Humber, 1,400 were privately owned.

Construction: Standards

John Penrose: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much expenditure under each budgetary heading his Department has spent on advertising the TrustMark scheme in each year since the scheme was launched.

Ian Lucas: The Government gave a grant from their resource budget of approximately £2.5 million to set up and support TrustMark during its first two years (2005/06 and 2006/07). Approximately half of this was spent on advertising.

Departmental Billing

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department holds records on the efficiency achieved by its  (a) executive agencies and  (b) non-departmental public bodies in paying invoices within 10 days of receipt.

Pat McFadden: Yes, the Department periodically receives updates from some of its partner organisations on their performance in paying invoices within 10 working days of receipt. Performance is published annually in the respective bodies' Annual Report and Accounts.

Departmental Health and Safety

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether written health and safety advice is issued to new employees in his Department.

Pat McFadden: On appointment to the Department, line managers are responsible for the initial induction process for new employees. This process includes the requirement for all new staff to receive health and safety induction, with a checklist being available for managers to follow covering health and safety policy, employee and employer responsibilities, emergency arrangements and any risk control measures and safe working practices that are in place for the tasks that they will be undertaking.
	Written health and safety advice is available to all staff via the Department's intranet.

Departmental Information and Communication Technology

Greg Hands: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many iPods have been bought by his Department since its establishment; and at what cost.

Pat McFadden: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Internet

Grant Shapps: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills which websites his Department's staff are blocked from accessing on networked computers.

Pat McFadden: We make use of a commercial database which lists existing websites by categories.
	We currently only block access to the following categories:
	Adult/ Mature Content,
	Pornography,
	Violence/Hate/Racism,
	Internet E-mail Sites (for security purposes),
	Spyware Effects/Privacy Concerns,
	Spyware/Malware Sources,
	Suspicious.
	The situation is under review at the moment and we may extend the number of categories that we block. However, because of the wide remit of the Department, it is difficult to extend the blocking much further without impacting on the ability of people to carry out their work.

Departmental Internet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department spent on maintaining its Flickr channel in the latest period for which figures are available.

Pat McFadden: The Department maintains a Flickr Pro account, at a cost of US $24.95. Only one year's upgrade to Flickr Pro has so far been purchased.
	Time spent on maintaining the Department's Flickr pages is not recorded, but is estimated to total no more than 20 minutes per week for one staff member.

Departmental Trade Unions

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's Departmental Trade Union Side Officers agreement.

Pat McFadden: This Department is seeking to establish a departmental trade union side agreement following the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform and the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Once this has been agreed, a copy will be placed in the Library.

Departmental Trade Unions

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many trade union side officers are employed by his Department; and how many full-time equivalent staff in his Department work exclusively on union activities.

Pat McFadden: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on 6 June 2009 by merging the former Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) with the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS).
	This Department employs 5.6 departmental trade union side officers and 2.0 FTE staff working exclusively on union activities.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Peter Luff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 6 January 2010,  Official Report, columns 420-21W, on digital broadcasting: radio, whether it is his policy that the date from which it is deemed that adequate notice has been given to the programme making and special events sector on the need to use different frequencies and to purchase alternative equipment should start only after the new frequencies have been promulgated and such frequencies are fully available for use.

Stephen Timms: As the hon. Member is aware, Ofcom is responsible for the assignment of radio frequencies and is not obliged to find alternative frequencies when giving notice to vacate. However, Ofcom is working on finding alternative spectrum for PMSE users and has already identified channel 38 as a dedicated channel, and expects to announce further frequencies available on an interleaved basis from later this year.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

Peter Luff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of  (a) the availability of radio microphones and similar technologies that will be usable following the sale of digital dividend channels 31 to 37 and 61 to 69,  (b) the market size for such technologies and  (c) the price of such technologies relative to their existing equivalents; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The Department has made no assessment. The majority of wireless microphones tune to channel 69 and Ofcom has made channel 38 available as the replacement spectrum for this. Radio microphones are already available and are used in the interleaved spectrum which will still be available for programme making and special events use after digital switchover. Ofcom recently consulted on the amount of channel 69 equipment eligible for funding, but are unable to give a figure for equipment which is operating without a licence.

English Language

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many English language schools have been found to be operating below standard upon inspection in the last 12 months; what estimate he has made of the number to have closed as a result of such inspection findings; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: It is not the responsibility of this Department to fund or take remedial action on private or charitable trusts who deliver English language. Inspection of English language schools is the responsibility of the independent accrediting bodies; these are the British Council, the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC), the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS).

English Language

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many people have been certified by English language schools in the period between those schools being deemed to fall below acceptable standards and his Department taking remedial action in the last 12 months.

Kevin Brennan: It is not the responsibility of this Department to take remedial action on private or charitable trusts who deliver English language courses. Inspection of English language schools is the responsibility of independent accrediting bodies; these are the British Council, the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC), the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS).

Further Education: Government Assistance

Stephen Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many colleges have  (a) applied for and  (b) received exceptional support funding from the Learning and Skills Council in each year since 2005; and how much such funding each such college received.

Kevin Brennan: Information on the level of exceptional support funding provided to individual further education (FE) colleges is not held at departmental level. This information is held by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). The LSC's chief executive, Geoff Russell, will write to the hon. Member for Bristol, West with the information requested.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 15 December 2009:
	I am writing in response to your Parliamentary Question that asked: how many colleges have (a) applied for and (b) received Exceptional Support Funding from the Learning and Skills Council in each year since 2005; and how much such funding each such college received.
	The LSC has provided exceptional funding to the college sector as illustrated in the table below. This funding has been administered from national budgets and all cases are supported by a robust business case.
	
		
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  Total 
			 Total amount of funding provided to mergers (£ million) 6.8 3.5 15.6 9.2 35.1 
			 Number of colleges 7 2 7 4 20 
			   
			 Exceptional financial support (£ million) 16.1 13.0 10.7 0.0 39.8 
			 Number of colleges 13 11 10 0 34 
			   
			 Total exceptional support funding (£ million) 22.9 16.5 26.3 9.2 74.9 
		
	
	The above table has been split between merger support (which is written off in year and is a non-returnable cash pressure to the LSC) and exceptional support which is clawed back normally over a 3-4 year period by the LSC subject to an adequate/robust recovery plan. The final tranche of exceptional support payments (c£1.5m) are being amortised in 2009-10 out of the capital budget.
	Some of the uses to which exceptional support has been given are:
	To enhance provision to meet local, regional and national priorities.
	Support the re-organisation of college provision.
	Support the implementation of a college strategic recovery plan.
	Support the financial viability of a college.
	Improve the quality of learning provision within a college.
	The LSC does not usually name colleges in receipt of exceptional support due to the sensitive nature of this particular information. In addition the LSC would need to liaise with the AOC prior to any publication which would obviously take much longer.

Garages and Petrol Stations

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many full-time officials in his Department have responsibility for policy on the retail petrol industry; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what monitoring his Department undertakes of the geographical distribution of petrol filling stations.

David Kidney: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department of Energy and Climate Change is responsible for oil policy and has three full-time officials with policy responsibility for downstream oil and its resilience. We receive quarterly data on the geographical distribution of filling stations for resilience purposes.

Higher Education

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of university students who have withdrawn from a course as a result of a delay in receiving student finance in 2009-10.

David Lammy: The Department has not made such an estimate and data on non-continuation of students in higher education would not specifically show numbers who have withdrawn from a course in 2009/10 academic year due to delays in receiving student finance. I am advised that, as at 13 December 2009, Student Finance England had paid 817,000 students and that it is still receiving around 1,000 new applications a week. Students whose application for student support was not approved by the start of term would have been able to apply for help through the Access to Learning Fund, which is provided by the Government and administered by higher education institutions, and can provide assistance to students in financial hardship.

Higher Education: Admissions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what percentage of pupils who were  (a) eligible and  (b) not eligible for free school meals took up a place at (i) university and (ii) a Russell Group university in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: holding answer 6 January 2010
	The figures in the table show pupils who were in English maintained schools and aged 15 at the start of academic years 2001/02 and 2002/03 who progressed to HE by the age of 19 (in 2005/06 and 2006/07 respectively).
	These figures have been estimated using matched data from the National Pupil Database, the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record and the Learning and Skills Council Individualised Learner Record. Matched higher education data are available only from 2005/06. Figures for 2007/08 will be available in 2010.
	
		
			  Estimates of the number and proportion of pupils aged 15 in 2001/02 and 2002/03 academic years, in English maintained schools, who progressed to HE by the age of 19 in 2005/06 and 2006/07 
			   Young persons in UK HE( 1)  of which Russell Group HEIs 
			   FSM( 2)  Non-FSM( 2)  FSM  Non-FSM 
			  Academic year  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage  Number  Percentage 
			 2005/06 10,800 13 156,000 33 1,000 1 33,000 7 
			 2006/07 11,400 14 164,000 33 1,000 1 32,600 7 
			 (1) Includes HE level courses at English further education colleges.  (2) FSM and non-FSM indicate receipt and non-receipt of free school meals respectively.   Notes:  1. In 2002/03 there were 81,100 maintained school pupils aged 15 claiming free school meals. This represents around 14 per cent. of all pupils in English maintained schools.  2. All figures are estimates and numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.   Source:  Matched data from the National Pupil Database, the Higher Education Statistics Agency Student Record and the Learning and Skills Council Individualised Learner Record.

Higher Education: Finance

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the amount of financial support provided by  (a) UK and  (b) non-UK (i) private sector organisations and (ii) charities for research in the higher education sector in each of the last five years.

David Lammy: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) undertakes official data collection and analysis relating to higher education in the UK. The HESA Finance Record is published annually and it is the main source of historical information on the funding activities of UK Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The expected release of the next HE Finance Plus, relating to the year 2008/09, is April 2010.
	Table 1 illustrates that financial support from UK private sector organisations and charities for research has increased substantially over the past five years. Annualised growth rates for both sources of income stand at 3.6 per cent., well above the Treasury's projections for inflation (2.5 per cent. per annum over this period), thereby securing real growth of investment from non-public sources into HEIs research resources.
	
		
			  Table 1: Funding from domestic sources for all HEIs in the UK 
			  All figures in current £ million 
			  Domestic funds  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 UK charities 691.4 700.1 725.7 767.5 825.8 
			 UK private business 247.3 243.4 256.4 289.7 296.1 
			  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 'HE Finance Plus'. Various years. 
		
	
	Foreign funds are reported under 'EU' and 'Overseas' categories, without consideration of the charitable status of the source. The relevant figures are listed in Table 2. They represent only a fraction of domestic resources attracted for research by HEIs in the UK but they have been growing faster than the former, at an annualised rate of 9 per cent., demonstrating an improving international standing of HEI research quality in the UK.
	
		
			  Table 2: Funding from foreign sources for all HEIs in the UK 
			  All figures in current £ million 
			  Foreign funds  2003/04  2004/05  2005/06  2006/07  2007/08 
			 EU 32.6 34.3 40.3 45.9 51.8 
			 Overseas 143.4 151.3 171.8 199.1 217.3 
			  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) 'HE Finance Plus'. Various years.

Higher Education: Finance

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what higher educational facilities in the UK receive funding from overseas Governments.

David Lammy: Individual higher education institutions, as autonomous bodies, receive funding from a variety of public and private sources, both in the UK and beyond. The Higher Education Statistics Agency finance record gives details of the income received by the higher education sector as a whole. However, information related to funding from overseas Governments is not collected centrally.

Higher Education: Free School Meals

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 12 January 2010,  Official Report, column 810W, on higher education: admissions, what the equivalent figures for university entrance are for pupils eligible for free school meals whose ethnicity was recorded as white British.

David Lammy: holding answer 18 January 2010
	I can confirm that the figures provided in that answer are for white British pupils only.

Higher Education: Overseas Students

Frank Field: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many non-EU overseas students were accepted onto an undergraduate or postgraduate course, paid their fees, and were subsequently reported by their institution not to have attended the course in each of the last five academic years.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 11 January 2010
	I have been asked to reply.
	Under the previous student route, education providers were not required to inform the UK Border Agency if an international student did not attend the course for which they were enrolled or pay the appropriate fee.
	However, Tier 4 of the Points Based System introduces new requirements for education providers to provide details of international students and their courses. These requirements will mean that Tier 4 sponsors will be required to provide information on the course being followed, whether a student is not attending the course and whether any fees remain unpaid.

Higher Education: Research

Brian Iddon: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations he has received from university and college unions on his Department's proposed changes to arrangements for research funding.

David Lammy: In the course of departmental business Ministers meet with many stakeholders and discuss a wide range of issues. I meet regularly with representatives of the University and College Union (UCU). I met with Sally Hunt, General Secretary of the UCU on 20 January when the proposed detail of the impact element of the Research Excellence Framework was discussed.

Higher Education: Torbay

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many residents of Torbay constituency attended university  (a) in 1997 and  (b) in the most recent academic year for which figures are available.

David Lammy: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Enrolments( 1)  from Torbay constituency( 2) , UK higher education institutions( 3) , academic year 1997/98 and 2008/09 
			  Academic year  Number of enrolments 
			 1997/98 1,560 
			 2008/09 1,955 
			 (1) Covers undergraduate and postgraduate students of all ages enrolled on full-time and part-time courses. (2) The table does not include enrolments where the constituency of the student cannot be established due to missing or invalid postcode information. (3) Excludes the Open university due to inconsistencies in their coding of students across the time series.  Note: Figures are on a snapshot basis as at 1 December and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Higher Education: Wirral

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills whether his Department plans to establish a University of Wirral under its new University Challenge scheme.

David Lammy: As set out in Higher Ambitions, we are committed to the enhancement of locally accessible higher education through a new University Challenge initiative. Since 2003, the Higher Education Funding Council for England has announced support for 17 new local HE centres. In October last year, the HEFCE announced that six further outline proposals could be taken forward, including one in the Wirral. The timing for submission of full business cases will be decided in the context of the next spending review.

Industrial Relations: Former Commissioners

Francis Maude: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons the offices of  (a) the Commissioner for Rights of Trade Union Members and  (b) the Commissioner for Protection Against Unlawful Industrial Action were discontinued.

Pat McFadden: As the Government explained in the 1998 'Fairness at Work' White Paper, the arrangements underpinning the work of the Commissioners were inefficient and unnecessary. The Commissioners were therefore abolished and new powers were given to the Certification Officer to ensure that trade union members could secure their rights more easily and effectively.

Jobcentre Plus: Vocational Guidance

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to ensure effective co-operation between college and university careers services and Jobcentre Plus.

Pat McFadden: Access to good quality information, advice and guidance is important in helping learners improve their skills, get a job and progress in work. The adult advancement and career service (AACS) will provide all adults in England, from August 2010, with access to impartial advice and support. Once established, it will work in partnership with a range of organisations in local networks, including colleges and universities, and with Connexions services to support smooth transitions between services for young people and adults. It will also work in partnership with Jobcentre Plus as an integrated employment and skills system. Currently, Jobcentre Plus advisers have comprehensive guidance on helping people access graduate internships, either directly through the graduate talent pool or by signposting customers to university careers services. We are developing a partnership agreement to promote good practice and active collaboration between university careers services and Jobcentre Plus. We will also be developing a graduate guarantee so that all new graduates still unemployed after six months will have access to an internship, training or help to become self-employed.

Minimum Wage: Lancashire

Hazel Blears: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many and what proportion of people in work in Salford have received pay at the national minimum wage rate since its introduction.

Pat McFadden: Data for earnings are not available at the constituency level because of small sample sizes at this level in the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE). For the same reason estimates for those earning a wage rate exactly at the NMW are not available.
	At the Government office region level, BIS analysis of the 2009 ASHE indicates that 107,000 jobholders in the North West region were earning a wage rate at or below the NMW rate in April 2009.
	Department of Trade and Industry previously estimated that the number of jobholders that stood to benefit from the April 1999 introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) in the North West region was 140,000.

Morocco

Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what export of military equipment to Morocco for use in Western Sahara he most recently licensed; and on what date.

Ian Lucas: The most recent licence for export to Morocco of military equipment where the stated end-use was in the Western Sahara was a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) for military firing sets and components for military firing sets for use in humanitarian de-mining operations issued on 7 October 2009.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Peter Luff: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the implication for competition in the UK retail motor industry of the European Commission's proposals to replace sector-specific block exemptions for the industry with a general exemption; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: A revised Motor Vehicle Block Exemption Regulation (MVBER) will come into force on 1 June 2010, when the current MVBER (No. 1400/2002) expires. There is no proposal to replace the MVBER with the general Vertical Agreements and Concerted Practices Block Exemption Regulation (No. 2790/1999), itself currently under review. The MVBER, both current and revised, are in addition to the Vertical Agreements and Concerted Practices Block Exemption Regulation. The European Commission's latest public consultation on a revised draft text of the MVBER and accompanying guidelines is underway. The draft regulation and guidelines reflect the European Commission's already extensive consultation with business, national competition authorities and member states. In particular, the provisions in respect of the market for repair and maintenance services and spare parts where we, based on ongoing discussions with business and stakeholder groups, have intervened strongly with the European Commission to ensure the effectiveness of the revised regulation and guidelines for the repair and maintenance sector.

National Physical Laboratory

Vincent Cable: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the value added to the economy by the National Physical Laboratory.

David Lammy: On 20 May 2009, the National Measurement Office, which was then part of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills but is now an Executive Agency of BIS, published an Economic Impact Report-Metrology Investment: Impact on Innovation and Productivity. The models described in that report estimated that an additional investment of £6 million (10 per cent. of the annual investment at the time) in the National Measurement System (NMS) could enable additional GDP of between £300 million and £400 million through enhanced innovation.
	The NMS budget covers work at several laboratories but about 80 per cent. of it is carried at the National Physical Laboratory. The National Physical Laboratory also carries out significant work not funded from the NMS budget.

Offenders

Christopher Huhne: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997.

Pat McFadden: We are unable to supply the information requested. As far as we aware the figures are less then five in each year since 1997 (in this Department and its predecessors) and therefore suppressed on the grounds of confidentiality.
	I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office and the Intellectual Property Office and they will respond to the hon. Member directly.
	 Letter from Sean Dennehey, dated 11 January 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 15 December 2009, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	For grounds of confidentiality we are unable to provide this information because the number of staff who have been convicted in any one year is fewer than five, and therefore any details provided may enable the individual concerned to be identified.
	In dealing with criminal convictions the Intellectual Property Office's policy and procedures adhere to and are in line with Civil Service Management Code.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 18 December 2009:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 15 December 2009, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	According to our records, no employee of the National Measurement Office, nor of its predecessor, the National Weights and Measures Laboratory, has been convicted of a criminal offence since 1997.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 18 December 2009:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been convicted of a criminal offence of each type in each year since 1997.
	The Insolvency Service does not record the data of employees who have been convicted of a criminal offence in any central database, and we would need to look in each employees' personal file, where the information is recorded. We are therefore unable to provide the required information without incurring disproportionate cost.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 22 January 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 15 December 2009, UIN 308504, to the Minister of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	I am unable to supply the information requested. The figures are less than five in each year since 1997 and therefore suppressed on the grounds of confidentiality.

Origin Marking

Mark Williams: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will put in place procedures to record separately the export of products to those Moroccan settlements in the occupied Western Sahara deemed to be illegal.

Stephen Timms: I have been asked to reply 
	as Minister with responsibility for HM Revenue and Customs.
	As a member of the European Union, the UK operates European Union customs legislation and tariff at its borders. European customs procedures do not contain a separate country code for Western Sahara. The absence of a specific country code means that the information requested is not available, and it is not possible to put in place the monitoring procedure requested.
	The information requested on imports into the UK from Morocco is provided in the following table:
	
		
			  Consignments imported into the UK from Morocco 
			   Number  Value (£) 
			 2007 91,972 409,919,889 
			 2008 73,580 406,090,728 
			 2009 59,962 302,691,526

Overseas Students

John Hayes: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many foreign nationals have studied at English language schools in England which have subsequently been closed for failing to reach required standards of teaching in each of the last three years.

Kevin Brennan: It is not the responsibility of this Department to monitor or maintain standards of teaching at English language schools in England as they are private or charitable trusts. Inspection of English language schools is the responsibility of independent accrediting bodies; these are the British Council, the Accreditation Service for International Colleges (ASIC), the British Accreditation Council (BAC) and the Accreditation Body for Language Services (ABLS).

Policy

Kate Hoey: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will set out, with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Vauxhall constituency, the effects on the constituency of changes to his Department's policies since 1997.

Pat McFadden: Since 2000, the policies and actions of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (and its predecessors) have focused on building a competitive economy and on delivering prosperity and sustainable economic growth. The implementation of BIS policy in the London borough of Lambeth (information is not available specifically for the Vauxhall constituency) has been taken forward primarily by the London Development Agency and the Government office for London, working in partnership with the local authority and other relevant bodies.
	Caution must be exercised in seeking to attribute directly the effects of specific measures on local economic indicators. Nonetheless, examples of how BIS policies and actions have impacted on Lambeth include:
	Levels of skills have increased in Lambeth since 2001 and remain above the London and national averages(1).
	Performance at level 2 has increased from 71.4 per cent. to 72.0 per cent.
	Performance at level 3 has increased from 56.8 per cent. to 58.0 per cent.
	Performance at level 4 has increased from 41.9 per cent. to 45.8 per cent.
	The stock of VAT registered businesses has increased from 5,495 businesses in 1997 to 8,475 businesses in 2007(2).
	The proportion of business registrations (including VAT and PAYE) per 10,000 resident population aged 16 and above (National Indicator 171) has increased from 64.0 in 2002 to 82.8 in 2008(3).
	The percentage of small businesses showing growth in number of employees (National Indicator 172) has increased from 9.73 per cent. in 2003 to 12.39 per cent. in 2008.
	(1) APS-Annual Population Survey data.
	(2) Extracted from NOMIS, source: BERR-VAT registrations/deregistrations by industry.
	(3 )Data produced by BIS and available on the BIS website:
	http://stats.berr.gov.uk/ed/national_indicators/index.htm
	(4) As above.

Radio Frequencies

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what information his Department holds on levels of investment by the programme making and special events sector in radio microphones and associated technologies that will be usable beyond 2012 since notice of the spectrum clearance was provided by Ofcom.

Stephen Timms: Ofcom has estimated the costs for the residual value of programme making and special events (PMSE) equipment that will be affected by the changes in channel 69 to be £15-30 million, taking into account the relevant life of the equipment, and has made these costs available to the Department. Costs of £67 million have also been provided by representatives of PMSE users, based on a new for old approach and the costs of clearing all the channels affected.

Radio Frequencies

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills when he expects the migration of programme making and special events users from the digital dividend spectrum channels 31 to 37 and 61 to 69 to replacement frequencies to  (a) start and  (b) finish; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The matter raised is the responsibility of the independent regulator, the Office of Communications (Ofcom), which is accountable to Parliament rather than Ministers. Accordingly, I have asked the chief executive of Ofcom to reply directly to the hon. Member. Copies of the chief executive's letter will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Regional Development Agencies: Property

Bob Neill: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what the  (a) address and  (b) area is of each regional development agency property which is (i) occupied and (ii) vacant according to data held in the electronic property information mapping service database.

Pat McFadden: holding answer 21 January 2010
	Documents listing the addresses and areas of each Regional Development Agency property which are  (a) occupied and  (b) vacant, as currently recorded in the e-PIMS database, have been placed in the Libraries of the House. E-PIMS is a live database that is constantly being updated.

Royal Mail: Snow and Ice

Ben Chapman: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on delivery routes in areas which are not receiving mail because of extreme weather conditions;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with Royal Mail on the effects of severely adverse weather conditions on postal deliveries.

Pat McFadden: Department officials have been in contact with Royal Mail during the severe weather. I understand that the vast majority of motorways and major trunk roads linking the UK have remained open during the severe weather allowing Royal Mail's national networking to operate, but local deliveries and collections have been disrupted, especially in remote areas, where local roads and access have been affected by extreme weather conditions.
	Decisions relating to operational matters are the direct responsibility of the company and local assessments are made on whether services can operate safely under local conditions. Royal Mail has been keeping customers informed of disrupted services via its website:
	www.royalmail.com
	but due to the nature of the changing conditions, assessments are regularly made and it is not always possible to give customers advanced notice of whether local services will be operating as normal.
	The Government would like to thank postmen and women up and down the country for their efforts to deliver the mail during the severe weather.

Students: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students in higher education have received payments in respect of  (a) tuition fee loans,  (b) maintenance loans,  (c) grants for living costs,  (d) bursaries and scholarships and  (e) extra help for students with children or adult dependents in Gloucestershire in each of the last three years; and what the amount was of payments of each such type made to students from Gloucestershire in each such year.

David Lammy: The available information is shown in the table.
	
		
			  Student support, Gloucestershire 2006/07 to 2008/09 
			   Academic Year 
			   2006/07  2007/08  2008/09 
			   Students (thousands)  Value  (£ million)  Students (thousands)  Value  (£ million)  Students (thousands)  Value  (£ million) 
			 Tuition Fee Loans 4.7 8.7 6.4 15.9 8.0 23.0 
			 Maintenance Loans 8.8 31.2 8.9 31.2 9.2 32.4 
			 HE Maintenance Grant 1.7 3.0 3.0 5.7 4.8 8.8 
			 HE Grant 1.4 1.2 0.8 0.7 0.3 0.2 
			 Extra help for students with children or adult dependents(1) 0.2 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.3 0.7 
			 (1) Childcare Grant, Parental Learning Allowance, Lone Parents Grant and Adult Dependants Grant.  Note: The information requested on bursaries and scholarships is not available centrally as they are the responsibility of higher education institutions. Complete information for the current academic year 2009/10 is not yet available, and will be available in late 2010 when a Statistical First Release on Student Support will be published on the Student Loans Company website.  Source:  Student Loans Company

Students: Gloucestershire

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students normally resident in Gloucestershire have  (a) attended and  (b) received student loans to attend university courses in each year since 1997.

David Lammy: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) on enrolments from Gloucestershire local authority is shown in Table 1. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in January 2011.
	
		
			  Table 1: Enrolments( 1)  from Gloucestershire local authority, UK higher education institutions( 2) , academic years 1997/98 to 2008/09 
			  Academic year  Enrolments 
			 1997/98 12,905 
			 1998/99 12,895 
			 1999/2000 12,735 
			 2000/01 13,080 
			 2001/02 13,270 
			 2002/03 13,730 
			 2003/04 14,440 
			 2004/05 14,300 
			 2005/06 14,420 
			 2006/07 14,210 
			 2007/08 14,145 
			 2008/09 14,620 
			 (1 )Covers enrolments to both full-time and part-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses. (2 )Excludes the Open university due to inconsistencies in their data across the time series.  Note:  Figures are based on a snapshot count as at 1 December to maintain consistency across the time series and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). 
		
	
	Data from the Student Loans Company on the number of student loan borrowers from Gloucestershire are shown in table 2.
	
		
			  Table 2: Income contingent student loan borrowers 2001/02  to 2008/09( 1) 
			  Academic year  Students receiving loans 
			 2001/02 8,200 
			 2002/03 8,600 
			 2003/04 8,700 
			 2004/05 8,800 
			 2005/06 8,800 
			 2006/07 8,900 
			 2007/08 9,200 
			 2008/09 9,600 
			 (1) Consistent data are not available before 2001/02. Figures cover income contingent loans for maintenance and tuition fees, older mortgage style loans are excluded. Table covers loans to full-time undergraduate students, those on postgraduate initial teacher training courses, and part-time loans.  Source:  Student Loans Company. 
		
	
	Data from the two sources (HESA and SLC) are not directly comparable because certain students and courses (for example most postgraduate courses) included in Table 1 do not attract student support. Table 2 covers full-time undergraduate students, as well as part-time students who were eligible for part-time loans in the past (now replaced by other forms of support), and those on postgraduate initial teacher training courses. Additionally, Table 2 provides those who have taken out loans, but does not include others who have received student support in the form of a grant or allowance.

Supermarkets: Competition

David Drew: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills from what supermarkets he has received representations on the recommendation of the Competition Commission to introduce a statutory code of practice and an ombudsman; and what discussions he plans to have on the implications of the recommendation.

Kevin Brennan: I have received a large number of representations over recent months from supermarkets and other organisations on the recommendation of the Competition Commission to introduce a statutory code of practice and an ombudsman. We announced on 13 January that Government have accepted the need for independent enforcement of the groceries supply code of practice (GSCOP) and would launch a consultation in February. I anticipate further discussions with a wide range of businesses and organisations, including supermarkets, over the coming months as we take the policy forward.

Training: Autism

Don Touhig: To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent representations his Department has received on the skills and training requirements of people with autism.

Kevin Brennan: The Minister of State, Department of Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Phil Hope), who is responsible for Care Services, wrote to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Higher Education and Intellectual Property in September 2009 asking for support to develop a strategy for adults with autistic spectrum conditions.
	Skills are vital for helping people with learning difficulties-including those associated with autism-obtain employment.
	In order to support them to gain skills, we will ensure the new adult advancement and careers service (to be rolled out autumn 2010), can meet their needs and advise them on skills opportunities. For people with learning difficulties at Entry Level or Level 1, Foundation Learning will promote progression through personalised learning programmes delivered by schools, colleges and training organisations. Foundation Learning will be available from September 2010, with the majority of schools expected to be involved by 2011-12.

JUSTICE

Burges Salmon Solicitors

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many representations he has received from hon. Members on the conduct of Burges Salmon LLP Solicitors.

Bridget Prentice: To date the Ministry of Justice have received four written inquiries from hon. Members and three questions in the House, including those raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Vale of Clwyd, regarding the conduct of Burges Salmon LLP Solicitors.
	As I have previously stated, this matter is currently being investigated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Convictions: Video Recordings Act 1984

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions there have been under section  (a) 9,  (b) 10,  (c) 11,  (d) 12,  (e) 13 and  (f) 14 of the Video Recordings Act 1984 as amended by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 in each year since each such section came into force.

Claire Ward: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences under the Video Recordings Act 1984, England and Wales 1995 to 2007 (latest available) is shown in the following tables. Prior to 1995 data under the Video Recordings Act 1984 formed part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be separately analysed.
	Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	
		
			  Number of defendants found guilty at all courts for offences under the 1984 Video Recording Act, England and Wales, 1995 to 2007( 1,2) 
			  Offence  Statute  1995  1996  1997  1998  1999  2000  2001 
			 Supplying video recording of unclassified work Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 9 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88 44 57 60 28 61 69 62 
			 Persons video recording of unclassified work for the purpose of supply Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 10 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88 75 61 69 75 61 73 68 
			 Supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 11 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(4) 12 17 16 22 40 18 10 
			 Certain video recordings only to be supplied in licensed sex shops Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 12 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(5) 2 1 - - - - 6 
			 Supply of video recording not complying with requirements as to labels etc. Video Recording Act 1984 Sec 13 3 2 - 1 1 6 3 
			 Supply of video recordings containing false indication as to classification Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 14 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(6) 1 2 1 1 - 1 - 
		
	
	
		
			  Offence  Statute  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007 
			 Supplying video recording of unclassified work Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 9 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88 59 44 31 28 12 22 
			 Persons video recording of unclassified work for the purpose of supply Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 10 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88 62 31 43 37 53 57 
			 Supplying video recording of classified work in breach of classification Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 11 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(4) 14 17 8 9 8 2 
			 Certain video recordings only to be supplied in licensed sex shops Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 12 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(5) 4 10 48 12 8 5 
			 Supply of video recording not complying with requirements as to labels etc. Video Recording Act 1984 Sec 13 - - - 1 - 1 
			 Supply of video recordings containing false indication as to classification Video Recording Act 1984, Sec 14 as amended by Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, Sec 88(6) - - 2 2 - - 
			 (1 )The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe.  (2) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.   Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Debt Collection

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many certificated bailiffs have been struck off the HM Courts Service bailiff register in the last 36 months; and on what grounds such bailiffs may be struck off.

Bridget Prentice: Nine certificated bailiffs have been removed from the register in the years 2007 to 2009. Their certificates were cancelled either due to an upheld complaint or dismissal from their employer.
	Cancellation of a bailiff's certificate may result from a complaint in Form 4 or 5 of the Distress for Rent Rules 1988 as to the bailiff's conduct or fitness to hold a certificate. Such a complaint is made to the court which issued the certificate.

Debt Collection

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for the commencement of the provisions of the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 relating to allowing a judgment creditor to apply for a charging order in circumstances in which a debtor is up to date with an instalment arrangement.

Bridget Prentice: In 2008, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor asked for a reassessment of the enforcement provisions within the Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007 to ensure that they remain appropriate. Following that review, the Government announced on 17 March 2009,  Official Report, column 46WS, that they would not implement the provisions in Part 4 of the Act.

Debts: Credit Cards

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether HM Courts Service's evaluation of taking payments from debtors by credit card is now complete.

Bridget Prentice: I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11 January 2010,  Official  R eport, column 788W.
	The national roll out of credit and debit card facilities is currently under consideration. The timetable for the introduction of these facilities has not yet been finalised. The evaluation report will be published during the spring.

Departmental Electronic Equipment

Greg Hands: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many iPods have been bought by his Department since 2005; and at what cost.

Michael Wills: The Ministry of Justice's accounting systems do not separately identify any expenditure on iPods. It would incur disproportionate cost to examine invoices and Government Procurement Card statements held locally across the business to identify relevant costs.
	All expenditure by the Ministry of Justice is undertaken in accordance with the principles of regularity, propriety and value for money contained in HM Treasury's 'Managing Public Money' and in pursuit of departmental aims and objectives. The purchase of iPods can therefore be expected to be highly exceptional. We are aware of 10 iPods being bought in this period as competition prizes awarded as incentives to maximise participation in the annual Staff Engagement Survey, a prison survey on fast track processes and to generate Local Criminal Justice Board nominations for Justice Awards, all competitions which play an important part in securing departmental objectives and for which it is desirable to secure as wide participation as possible.

Departmental Pay

Vincent Cable: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff in his Department received bonus payments in 2008; what proportion of the total work force they represented; what the total amount of bonuses paid was; what the largest single payment was; and if he will make a statement.

Jack Straw: Non-consolidated performance pay may be awarded either at the 'end of year' or 'in year'. For staff in grades below the senior civil service (SCS) the 'end of year' non-consolidated performance pay awards are made as part of the annual pay award to staff whose performance over the course of the year has been judged as outstanding/exceeded expectations under the relevant performance management system.
	Awards of 'in year' non-consolidated performance payments are made to staff in recognition of specific contributions during the year over and above the contribution expected for someone in a particular role.
	The following table provides details of both 'in year' and 'end of year' payments for staff in grades below the SCS.
	
		
			  2008  Type of non-consolidated payment  Number of staff awarded payment  Percentage of the eligible staff receiving payment  Highest payment  (£)  Total value of payments  (£) 
			 Ministry (excluding National Offender Management Service) 'end of year' 1,608 15.08 1,200 1,929,600 
			  'in year' 6,135 22 5,675 2,566,120 
			   
			 HM Prison Service and the NOMS HQ 'end of year' 5,332 32 809 1,325,952 
			  'in year' 5,538 10 5,000 2,575,912 
			  Note. Payments made to staff with the Probation Services are not included 
		
	
	During 2008 the Ministry awarded 159 senior civil servants non-consolidated performance related payments. This represented 65 per cent. of eligible staff. The total amount awarded was £1,648,000 and the largest award made was £25,000.

Departmental Pay

Lee Scott: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much has been paid in bonuses to civil servants in his Department in each year since 2006.

Jack Straw: Depending on their various terms and conditions, staff employed in the Ministry of Justice and its agencies may be eligible for  (a) year end and  (b) in year non-consolidated performance pay. Details are shown as follows:
	 Senior  c ivil  s ervice
	Performance related pay is awarded to senior civil servants (SCS) in line with the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Body. Non-consolidated performance related payments are made as part of the annual pay award to those whose performance has exceeded agreed delivery objectives during the previous performance year.
	
		
			  Paid in calendar year  Number of SCS receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2007 116 866,500 
			 2008 159 1,648,000 
			 2009 152 1,375,000 
			  Note:  The 2007 figures refer to SCS members in the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) only. 
		
	
	 Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
	For staff in grades below the SCS (excluding the National Offender Management Service (NOMS)), non-consolidated performance pay may be awarded either at the 'end of year' or 'in year'. Awards of 'end of year' non-consolidated performance pay are made as part of the annual pay award to staff whose performance over the course of the year has been judged as outstanding under the Ministry's performance management system.
	From 1 August 2007, common terms and conditions were introduced for staff in the Ministry of Justice excluding NOMS. The value of year end non-consolidated performance pay was increased to £1,200. Details are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 1,848 739,000 
			 2007-08 2,419 967,966 
			 2008-09 1,608 1,929,600 
			  Note:  The 2006-07 figures refer to staff members in the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) only, and exclude any payment to staff who joined from the Home Office in 2007 on the creation of the Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	Awards of 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay are given to recognise specific exceptional contributions during the year. The following table provides details:
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 3,773 894,169 
			 2007-08 5,327 2,348,520 
			 2008-09 6,135 2,566,120 
			  Note:  The 2006-07 figures refer to staff members in the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) only, and exclude any payment to staff who joined from the Home Office in 2007 on the creation of the Ministry of Justice. 
		
	
	The increased amount paid from 2007 reflects that with effect from 1 August 2007, staff previously on magistrates courts terms and conditions and also those who joined from the various tribunals which became part of the Tribunals Service, became eligible for non-consolidated performance pay under the common terms and conditions introduced that year.
	 National Offender Management Service
	Details for payments of 'year end' non-consolidated performance pay in the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 performance years for staff employed across HM Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service headquarters are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Performance year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 4,817 1,096,766 
			 2007-08 5,332 1,325,952 
			 2008-09 5,256 1,426,330 
		
	
	Information on the number of staff in grades below the SCS receiving 'in year' non-consolidated performance payments and the total amount paid across HM Prison Service and National Offender Management Service headquarters is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Paid in financial year  Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 2,432 873,141 
			 2007-08 3,583 1,339,039 
			 2008-09 5,538 2,575,912

Departmental Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much funding his Department has allocated for  (a) year-end and  (b) in-year bonuses for its staff in 2009-10.

Jack Straw: Depending on their various terms and conditions, staff employed in the Ministry of Justice and its agencies may be eligible for  (a) 'year end' and  (b) 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay.
	 S enior civil service
	The Senior Salaries Review Body will provide recommendations on base pay and non-consolidated performance payments for members of the senior civil service (SCS) in 2009-10. No allocation is made in advance of their report. SCS Members are not eligible for 'in year' non-consolidated performance payments.
	 The Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
	For 2009-10, the Ministry of Justice excluding NOMS (for grades below the SCS) has allocated £5,300,000 (0.6 per cent. of the paybill) for 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay and £3,800,000 (0.4 per cent. of the paybill) for 'year end' non-consolidated performance pay.
	 National Offender Management Service
	NOMS has different staff groups who are covered by separate pay determination systems. 'In year' and 'end year' performance payments are made but it does not specifically allocate funding.

Departmental Pay

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) year end and  (b) in-year bonuses were paid to officials in his Department in each of the last three years; and how much was paid in such bonuses in each such year.

Jack Straw: The Ministry of Justice does not pay staff bonuses. Depending on their various terms and conditions, staff employed in the Ministry of Justice and its agencies may be eligible for  (a) 'year end' and  (b) 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay. Details are shown as follows:
	 Senior Civil Service
	Performance related pay is awarded to Senior Civil Servants (SCS) in line with the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Body. Non-consolidated performance related payments are part of the SCS annual pay award. They are paid to individuals whose performance exceeds agreed delivery objectives during the previous reporting year. There is no 'in year' provision for bonus payments.
	
		
			   Number of SCS receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2007(1) 116 866,500 
			 2008 159 1,648,000 
			 2009 152 1,375,000 
			 (1) The 2007 figures refer to SCS members in the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) only. 
		
	
	 Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS)
	For staff in grades below the SCS (excluding the National Offender Management Services (NOMS)), non-consolidated performance pay may be awarded either at the 'year end' or 'in year'. Awards of 'year end' non-consolidated performance pay are made as part of the annual pay award to staff whose performance over the course of the year has been judged as outstanding under the Ministry's performance management system.
	From 1 August 2007, common terms and conditions were introduced for staff in the Ministry of Justice excluding NOMS. The value of 'year end' non-consolidated performance pay was increased to £1,200. Details are shown in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07(1) 1,848 739,000 
			 2007-08(2) 2,419 967,966 
			 2008-09(2) 1,608 1,929,600 
			 (1) The former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) (2) Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS) 
		
	
	Awards of 'in year' non-consolidated performance pay are given to recognise specific exceptional contributions during the year. The following table provides details:
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07(1) 3,773 894,169 
			 2007-08(2) 5,327 2,348,520 
			 2008-09(2) 6,135 2,566,120 
			 (1) The former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) (2) Ministry of Justice (excluding NOMS) 
		
	
	The increased amount paid from 2007 reflects that with effect from 1 August 2007, staff previously on magistrates' courts terms and conditions together with those who joined from the various tribunals (which became part of the Tribunals Service) became eligible for non-consolidated performance pay under the common terms and conditions introduced that year.
	 National Offender Management Service
	Details for payments of 'year end' non-consolidated performance pay in the 2006-07, 2007-08 and 2008-09 performance years for staff employed across HM Prison Service and the National Offender Management Service headquarters are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 4,817 1,096,766 
			 2007-08 5,332 1,325,952 
			 2008-09 5,256 1,426,330 
		
	
	Information on the number of staff in grades below the SCS receiving 'in year' non-consolidated performance payments and the total amount paid across HM Prison Service and National Offender Management Service Headquarters is contained in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of staff receiving a payment  Total amount paid (£) 
			 2006-07 2,432 873,141 
			 2007-08 3,583 1,339,039 
			 2008-09 5,538 2,575,912

Departmental Pay

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) average and  (b) highest non-consolidated performance-related payment was in cash terms for a senior civil servant in his Department in each of the last five years.

Jack Straw: Performance related pay is awarded to senior civil servants (SCS) in line with the recommendations made by the Senior Salaries Review Board. Payments of non-consolidated performance related pay are made as part of the SCS annual pay award and it is dependant on the achievement of performance that exceeds agreed delivery objectives during the previous reporting year.
	The  (a) average and  (b) highest non-consolidated performance related payment made to a SCS in the Ministry, over the past five years, is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  £ 
			  Performance year  Average non-consolidated performance related payment  Highest non-consolidated performance related payment 
			 2008-09(1) 9,046 15,000 
			 2007-08(1) 10,364 25,000 
			 2006-07(2) 7,282 22,500 
			 2005-06(2) 7,122 17,500 
			 2004-05(2) 4,924 12,690 
			 (1 )This information includes non-consolidated performance related payments made to those SCS members employed in the Ministry HQ, the National Offender Management Service, Her Majesty's Court Service and the Tribunals Service. It excludes those employed by the National Archives, The Scotland Office and the Land Registry, as these costs are not met by the Ministry. (2 )This information refers to non-consolidated performance related payments to SCS members of staff in the former Department for Constitutional Affairs (DCA) only before the Ministry of Justice was formed in May 2007.

Driving Offences

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) males and  (b) females in each age group who were prosecuted for speeding offences were subsequently found to be without (i) insurance and (ii) a valid driving licence in each of the last two years.

Claire Ward: The information requested is not held centrally. To obtain such information would require the manual retrieval of data pertaining to speeding offences to identify the individual followed and an analysis of insurance and driving license offences for those individuals. To do so would incur a disproportionate cost.

Electoral Register

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the timetable is for the introduction of individual electoral registration.

Michael Wills: The timetable for the introduction of individual electoral registration remains as I set out during the parliamentary passage of the Political Parties and Elections Act 2009. During Commons consideration of Lords amendments on 13 July 2009,  Official Report, column 99, I explained that:
	Our approach to individual registration is to move in two phases: a voluntary phase and a compulsory phase. During the voluntary phase, it will be compulsory for electoral registration officers to ask individuals to provide the relevant identifying information-national insurance number, date of birth and signature-but individuals will not be required to do that to be on the register.....The voluntary phase will not commence before July 2010-in other words, it will not become entangled with the next general election, whenever that may be-and will not finish before 2014. That period will enable us to be fully confident that the system is ready before we move to the compulsory phase, when it will be obligatory for individuals to provide identifying information to electoral registration officers to be included on the register. It will enable us to prepare the public for the change, and to take steps to bolster registration rates in the meantime. That will be fundamental to protecting the system against the risk of a drop in the numbers registered.

Housing: Sales

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sales orders in respect of residential property there were in each year since 1997; and how many charging orders over residential properties have been issued in each year since 1997.

Bridget Prentice: The table shows the numbers of applications for charging orders, and the number of charging orders made, in the county courts of England and Wales in each year since 1997.
	No figures are held centrally for orders for sale prior to June 2009, when a new data collection system was introduced. These data show that 160 orders for sale were made in the county courts of England and Wales between June 2009 and September 2009, the latest period for which figures are currently available.
	These figures cover charging orders and orders for sale made against all types of property, not just residential property. Figures relating solely to orders against residential property are not held centrally and could be obtained through the examination of individual case files only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number of applications for charging orders and charging orders made in England and Wales 1997-2008 
			   Applications  Orders made 
			 1997 14,161 11,422 
			 1998 13,758 10,652 
			 1999 13,600 9,749 
			 2000 16,014 9,689 
			 2001 21,870 15,487 
			 2002 30,781 21,408 
			 2003 35,052 25,217 
			 2004 45,516 33,235 
			 2005 65,780 49,218 
			 2006 92,933 67,090 
			 2007 131,637 97,026 
			 2008 164,812 135,702 
			  Source: HMCS CaseMan system (2000-08) and manual returns (1997-99)

Hunting Act 2004: Prosecutions

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) prosecutions,  (b) convictions and  (c) cautions there were for offences under the Hunting Act 2004 in (i) 2008 and (ii) 2009 to date.

Jack Straw: Cautions and court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	In 2007 the number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts in England and Wales for offences under the Hunting Act 2004 was 62. The number found guilty at all courts was 48. The number of cautions issued was eight.

KBR

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department has entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or its subsidiaries since January 2009.

Michael Wills: Centrally held records show that my Department has not entered into any contracts with Kellogg, Brown and Root or any of its subsidiaries since January 2009.

Land Registry: Labour Turnover

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of  (a) the number of staff expected to leave posts at the Land Registry as a result of the review of its offices and  (b) the number of additional staff to be employed by the Land Registry in 2010-11.

Michael Wills: Land Registry published their Accelerated Transformation Programme proposals on 22 October 2009. The first phase of the programme envisages a reduction of 1,500 staff by 2011. The proposals for the first phase of the programme include the closure of five offices, a reduction in the number of clerical staff, and an examination of the scope for outsourcing some of its support functions.
	Land Registry is holding a public consultation, which ends on 29 January, on proposals to close five of its offices. The total number of staff working in the five offices as at 4 January 2010 was 1,125.
	The business case published alongside the proposals included a working assumption about recruitment of staff including those with specialist expertise, such as commercial skills, procurement and contract management, programme and project management and IT. That assumption included the recruitment of 150 staff by December 2011. Land Registry will, of course, consider existing members of staff for posts as they arise before recruiting externally.
	Land Registry is currently undertaking a workforce planning exercise and will review the recruitment projections in the business case. They will include the results of this review when they announce their final decisions and publish their consultation responses documents.

Land Registry: Resignations

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reason the  (a) Chief Executive and  (b) Director of Operations left their positions at the Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: Peter Collis, the Chief Executive and Chief Land Registrar of Land Registry, announced he was stepping down on 11 January 2010. After 10 years in post, having seen Land Registry through challenging times and a radical reform of land law, he felt that the time was right to make way for someone with different skills and experience to take Land Registry forward in a new environment.
	Andy Howarth, the Director of Operations has decided, after 42 years' service, and having passed the pension age under his Civil Service Pension Scheme, to retire in April 2010.

Magistrates Courts: Fines

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which magistrates courts do not have on-site facilities for payment to be made in person.

Bridget Prentice: All magistrates courts in England and Wales offer facilities for payment to be made in person with the exception of Wells, Maidenhead, Abertillery, Aberystwyth, Ammanford, Cardigan and Carmarthen. The variety of payment facilities at other courts vary from site to site but include cash deposit boxes, payment counters, dedicated telephone lines and staff members with Allpay accounts. Her Majesty's Courts Service intends to ensure that some facility is provided in all courts.

Magistrates Courts: Fines

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the collection rate is for fines levied by each magistrates court.

Bridget Prentice: HMCS systems are unable to provide collection rates of fines for individual magistrates courts. Fine collection rates are broken down by local criminal justice board (LCJB) areas.
	The current payment rate of financial impositions, from both the magistrates and crown courts, for each LCJB for the period April 2009 to December 2009 is:
	
		
			  LCJB area  Payment rate (percentage) 
			 Avon and Somerset 90 
			 Bedfordshire 82 
			 Cambridgeshire 85 
			 Cheshire (1)106 
			 Cleveland (1)116 
			 Cumbria 98 
			 Derbyshire 118* 
			 Devon and Cornwall 90 
			 Dorset 84 
			 Durham 87 
			 Dyfed Powys 77 
			 Essex 88 
			 Gloucestershire 93 
			 Greater Manchester 86 
			 Gwent 99 
			 Hampshire and Isle of Wight 65 
			 Hertfordshire 84 
			 Humberside 96 
			 Kent 81 
			 Lancashire (1)108 
			 Leicestershire 91 
			 Lincolnshire 94 
			 London 73 
			 Merseyside 82 
			 Norfolk 95 
			 North Wales 70 
			 North Yorkshire 92 
			 Northamptonshire 94 
			 Northumbria 75 
			 Nottinghamshire 83 
			 South Wales 77 
			 South Yorkshire 89 
			 Staffordshire 92 
			 Suffolk 86 
			 Surrey 83 
			 Sussex 68 
			 Thames Valley 82 
			 Warwickshire 89 
			 West Mercia 81 
			 West Midlands 71 
			 West Yorkshire 78 
			 Wiltshire 88 
			 (1) Financial penalties are not always paid within the same period which they are imposed and therefore the payment rate can be more than 100 per cent.

Magistrates Courts: Fines

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which magistrates courts have withdrawn in-person fine payment facilities in each of the last five years.

Bridget Prentice: All magistrates courts in England and Wales offer facilities for payment to be made in person with the exception of Abertillery, Aberystwyth, Ammanford, Cardigan and Carmarthen, Maidenhead and Wells. The variety of payment facilities at other courts vary from site to site but include cash deposit boxes, payment counters, dedicated telephone lines and staff members with Allpay accounts. Her Majesty's Courts Service intends to ensure that some facility is provided in all courts.
	Over the last five years the following courts have had their cash counters removed, while retaining other in person payment facilities:
	 2005
	Abergavenny
	Abertillery
	Balham
	Bexley
	Brent
	Brentford
	Bromley
	Caerphilly
	Camberwell Green
	City of Westminster
	Cwmbran
	Ealing
	Enfield
	Feltham
	Harrow
	Kingston-upon-Thames
	Newport
	Richmond
	South Western
	Tower Bridge
	Woolwich
	Wimbledon
	Uxbridge
	 2006
	Carmarthen
	Leamington
	Southend
	 2007
	City of London
	Greenwich
	Ipswich
	Kings Lynn
	Lowestoft
	Newark
	 2008
	Bury St. Edmunds
	Great Yarmouth
	Norwich
	Poole
	Runcorn
	 2009
	Aldershot
	Barnstaple
	Basingstoke
	Bodmin
	Camborne
	Cirencester
	Exeter
	Honiton
	Mansfield
	Newport (Isle of Wight)
	Newton Abbot
	Penzance
	Plymouth
	Portsmouth
	Southampton
	Stroud
	Torquay
	Truro
	Worksop
	 Closed within the last five years but date unknown
	Cambridge
	Hinckley
	Peterborough
	In addition to the existing in person payment facilities at court, last year HMCS rolled out a dedicated 24 hour payment telephone line and internet site. HMCS also takes payment through the extensive network of Paypoint sites.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 14 December 2009 concerning a constituent.

Bridget Prentice: I replied to the hon. Member on 11 January.

Monarchy: Succession

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the statutory legal grounds are by which it is claimed the Act of Settlement excludes illegitimate children from a right to succession to the Crown, with particular reference to the basis of succession outlined in Section 1 of the Act of Settlement 1700;
	(2)  on what legal grounds, by reference to the Act of Settlement, the UK made its interpretative declaration in respect of articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on the Legal Status of Children Born out of Wedlock.

Michael Wills: Succession to the Crown is governed by the common law rules of descent for hereditary titles, including legitimacy, as well as the Act of Settlement. Although the Legitimacy Act 1976 made it possible for persons born outside wedlock to be legitimised, for most purposes, by the subsequent marriage of their parents, succession to the Crown and to any peerage is specifically exempted. The Act of Settlement and the common law together form the basis on which the UK's interpretative declaration in respect of articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on the Legal Status of Children Born out of Wedlock was made and remains valid.

Monarchy: Succession

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether the UK's interpretative declaration in respect of articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on the Legal Status of Children Born Out Of Wedlock is a designated derogation or reservation under article 1 (2) of the Human Rights Act 1998.

Michael Wills: No. Section 15(1) of the Human Rights Act 1998 explains that:
	In this Act designated reservation means:
	(a) the United Kingdom's reservation to Article 2 of the First Protocol to the Convention; and
	(b) any other reservation by the United Kingdom to an Article of the Convention, or of any protocol to the Convention, which is designated for the purposes of this Act in an order made by the Secretary of State.
	The Convention referred to in section 15(1)(a) and (b) is the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The UK has no other reservations to the ECHR or any of its Protocols, and therefore none has been designated as described at article 15(1)(b).

Monarchy: Succession

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what external legal advice he has taken in respect of the rights of illegitimate children in succession to the Crown, and the UK's interpretative declaration made in February 1981 of articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on the Legal Status of Children Born out of Wedlock.

Jack Straw: There is no record of any external legal advice having been sought or received in respect of these matters.

Multiple Publication Rule

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to his Department's consultation on defamation, the internet and the multiple publication rule.

Jack Straw: The consultation 'Defamation and the Internet: The Multiple Publication Rule' closed on 16 December 2009. The responses are currently being analysed with a view to publishing the response paper in March 2010.

National Standards for Enforcement Agents

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will place in the Library a copy of the National Standards for Enforcement Agents.

Bridget Prentice: The National Standards for Enforcement Agents was published in May 2002, and copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses, at its launch on 8 May 2002,  Official Report, column 252W.

Parole Board

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to his Department's consultation on the future of the Parole Board.

Jack Straw: The consultation period was extended to allow for further replies. The Department is currently carrying out a full analysis of the responses and an official response will follow thereafter.

Pleural Plaques

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many full-time equivalent staff are working on preparation of his Department's response to its consultation on pleural plaques.

Jack Straw: Two full-time members of staff cover matters relating to the law of tort and damages, which includes the issue of pleural plaques.

Prisoners on Remand

David Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juveniles remanded in custody were subsequently  (a) acquitted and  (b) given a non-custodial sentence in (i) a magistrates' court and (ii) the Crown Court in 2008.

Claire Ward: I wrote to the hon. Member on 10 August 2009 enclosing a table that showed data relating to the number of juveniles remanded in custody who were subsequently acquitted or given a non-custodial sentence in each year between 2003 and 2007. The 2007 data remain the latest currently available. Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.

Prisoners Release

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many  (a) men and  (b) women released from prison in each year since 2000 had served (i) four, (ii) five, (iii) six, (iv) seven, (v) eight, (vi) nine and (vii) 10 or more previous custodial sentences.

Jack Straw: The following table contains the number of adult offenders who were discharged from custody in the first quarter of each year for which data are available, by number of previous custodial sentences and gender.
	Please note this data is from the Reoffending of adults: Results from the 2007 cohort publication, therefore data are based only on the first quarter of each year. Figures for the total number of offenders cannot be aggregated up to full year figures because there is no evidence that the first quarter is representative of the full year.
	Please note figures are not available for 2001 due to a problem with archived data on court orders. Since it will not substantially increase the knowledge on the current progress on reoffending, no resources have been allocated to fix this problem.
	
		
			  Adult offenders discharged from custody in the first quarter of each year, number of previous custodial sentence and gender, 2000, 2002-2007 
			   Number of offenders 
			   Female  Male  Total 
			  No previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 655 5,002 5,657 
			 Q1 2002 561 4,573 5,134 
			 Q1 2003 530 4,080 4,610 
			 Q1 2004 561 4,212 4,773 
			 Q1 2005 505 3,995 4,500 
			 Q1 2006 522 4,115 4,637 
			 Q1 2007 397 3,542 3,939 
			 
			  One previous custodial sentence
			 Q1 2000 199 2,276 2,475 
			 Q1 2002 190 2,152 2,342 
			 Q1 2003 150 1,889 2,039 
			 Q1 2004 223 2,009 2,232 
			 Q1 2005 182 1,818 2,000 
			 Q1 2006 158 1,769 1,927 
			 Q1 2007 141 1,626 1,767 
			 
			  Two previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 88 1,540 1,628 
			 Q1 2002 127 1,579 1,706 
			 Q1 2003 129 1,381 1,510 
			 Q1 2004 139 1,430 1,569 
			 Q1 2005 135 1,344 1,479 
			 Q1 2006 91 1,271 1,362 
			 Q12007 84 1,109 1,193 
			 
			  Three previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 80 1,215 1295 
			 Q1 2002 85 1,168 1,253 
			 Q1 2003 87 1,053 1,140 
			 Q1 2004 121 1,190 1,311 
			 Q1 2005 95 1,021 1,116 
			 Q1 2006 87 907 994 
			 Q12007 66 871 937 
			 
			  Four previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 43 881 924 
			 Q1 2002 72 931 1,003 
			 Q1 2003 71 838 909 
			 Q1 2004 86 950 1,036 
			 Q1 2005 77 894 971 
			 Q1 2006 62 833 895 
			 Q1 2007 64 687 751 
			 
			  Five previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 39 726 765 
			 Q1 2002 36 741 777 
			 Q1 2003 39 739 778 
			 Q1 2004 61 783 844 
			 Q1 2005 41 708 749 
			 Q1 2006 55 709 764 
			 Q1 2007 48 605 653 
			 
			  Six previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 18 588 606 
			 Q1 2002 28 635 663 
			 Q1 2003 29 609 638 
			 Q1 2004 57 676 733 
			 Q1 2005 40 586 626 
			 Q1 2006 34 544 578 
			 Q1 2007 42 539 581 
			 
			  Seven previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 20 451 471 
			 Q1 2002 22 504 526 
			 Q1 2003 25 474 499 
			 Q1 2004 34 523 557 
			 Q1 2005 34 517 551 
			 Q1 2006 41 492 533 
			 Q1 2007 39 434 473 
			 
			  Eight previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 12 387 399 
			 Q1 2002 17 397 414 
			 Q1 2003 20 408 428 
			 Q1 2004 30 471 501 
			 Q1 2005 19 417 436 
			 Q1 2006 25 405 430 
			 Q1 2007 18 341 359 
			 
			  Nine previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 6 307 313 
			 Q1 2002 13 283 296 
			 Q1 2003 19 329 348 
			 Q1 2004 16 393 409 
			 Q1 2005 23 318 341 
			 Q1 2006 29 326 355 
			 Q1 2007 23 292 315 
			 
			  More than nine previous custodial sentences
			 Q1 2000 24 1,160 1,184 
			 Q1 2002 42 1,409 1,451 
			 Q1 2003 54 1,393 1,447 
			 Q1 2004 73 1,711 1,784 
			 Q1 2005 90 1,720 1,810 
			 Q1 2006 95 1,794 1,889 
			 Q1 2007 106 1,736 1,842 
			 
			  Total
			 Q1 2000 1,184 14,533 15,717 
			 Q1 2002 1,193 14,372 15,565 
			 Q1 2003 1,153 13,193 14,346 
			 Q1 2004 1,401 14,348 15,749 
			 Q1 2005 1,241 13,338 14,579 
			 Q1 2006 1,199 13,165 14,364 
			 Q1 2007 1,028 11,782 12,810 
		
	
	In 2007, there were nearly 136,000 persons sentenced to custody (immediate and suspended), the highest in a decade. This was an increase of 4.9 per cent. from 2006 and 39.6 per cent. from 1997.
	This growth reflects increased use of immediate custody in the first half of the decade and in recent years growing numbers of suspended sentence orders (introduced in April 2005 for those aged 18 or over) which have more than compensated for the decline in the number of immediate custodial sentences.

Prisoners: Voting Rights

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to his Department's second consultation on the voting rights of prisoners.

Jack Straw: The second stage consultation on the voting rights of convicted prisoners closed on 29 September. We are carefully analysing the responses to the consultation. A detailed analysis of the replies to the second stage consultation-including a breakdown of respondents-will be available upon publication of the Government's response.

Prisons: Parking

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons in England and Wales provide  (a) free parking and  (b) charged parking for (i) disabled and (ii) other visitors.

Jack Straw: Parking for all visitors at those prisons which have car parking facilities is free.
	Details on which prisons provide parking places for disabled and other visitors is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs as this would involve approaching each prison across England and Wales.

Privacy: Impact Assessments

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice whether his Department issues guidance to other Government Departments on the circumstances in which privacy impact assessments are  (a) required and  (b) encouraged.

Michael Wills: The report of the Cabinet Secretary's Review of Data Handling Procedures, published in June 2008, mandated that all Government Departments carry out privacy impact assessments (PIAs) when introducing new policies or processes involving the use of personal data. Each Department is responsible for implementing an appropriate process to undertake these assessments, taking into account the nature of their business and existing procedures.
	The Ministry of Justice has not issued any guidance to Departments, but the Information Commissioner's Office has published helpful guidance on PIAs which we would expect Government Departments to consult. Earlier this month, Government published the Protecting Government Information report, which noted that 270 PIAs are now complete or under way across Government Departments.

Public Sector: Disclosure of Information

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice on what grounds a public body may make a request under the Re-Use of Public Sector Information rules.

Michael Wills: Under the Regulations on the Re-use of Public Sector Information (S.I. 2005 No. 1515) public bodies can make a request for the reuse of public sector information under the same conditions as any other reuser.

Rape

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of Thames Valley Police's rape awareness campaign.

Claire Ward: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Campbell) on 19 January 2010,  Official Report, column 268W.

Red Hook Project

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with the US authorities on the Red Hook Project; and whether he plans to introduce such a project.

Claire Ward: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor visited the Red Hook Community Justice Centre in February 2008. Recent discussions were held with the US Attorney-General in October 2009.
	The North Liverpool Community Justice Centre was directly modelled on the Red Hook approach and opened in September 2005. The lessons learned from North Liverpool form the basis of the Government's policy on Community Justice Teams which are being introduced in 30 local authority areas across England and Wales.

Reparation by Offenders

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the further use of restorative justice schemes in respect of young people.

Maria Eagle: Restorative justice is already available for use in a wide variety of circumstances in the youth justice system, both out-of-court and in community sentences. National Standards for Youth Justice Services state that the providers of youth justice services must maximise victim involvement through a restorative justice strategy. In addition the Youth Restorative Disposal is currently being piloted and independently evaluated and a decision will be made on the future of the scheme once the evaluation is completed.

Road Traffic Offences: Fines

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what average fine was imposed for each type of  (a) summary non-motoring offence,  (b) summary motoring offence and  (c) indictable offence in 2008.

Jack Straw: Court proceedings data for 2008 are planned for publication on 28 January 2010.
	The average fine imposed at all courts by type of offence, England and Wales, 2007 (latest available) can be viewed in the following table:
	
		
			  Average fine amounts imposed at all courts by type of offence, England and Wales, 2007 
			  All offenders( 1)  Average amount (£) 
			  Indictable offences  
			 Violence against the person 237 
			 Sexual offences 285 
			 Burglary 161 
			 Robbery 73 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 105 
			 Fraud and forgery 286 
			 Criminal damage 126 
			 Drug offences 112 
			 Other (excluding motoring offences) 1,159 
			 Motoring offences 319 
			 Total 428 
			  Summary offences  
			 Summary offences (excluding motoring offences) 130 
			 Summary motoring offences 175 
			 Total 158 
			   
			  All offences 172 
			 (1) Includes 'other' offenders, i.e. companies, public bodies, etc.   Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Standards Board for England: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Meriden (Mrs. Spelman) of 19 October 2009,  Official Report, column 1321W, on the Standards Board for England: finance, what the budget is of the Adjudication Panel for England in  (a) 2009-10 and  (b) 2010-11.

Bridget Prentice: The direct budget for the Adjudication Panel for England(1) for 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 is £306,275. This excludes all overhead costs-such as Estates, IT, Finance, Policy. These are budgeted for separately within the overall Tribunals Service management structure.
	The budget for 2010-11 is not yet finalised. However, it is expected to be at a similar level to 2009-10, adjusted for inflation.
	(1) From 18 January 2010 the Adjudication Panel for England has moved into the General Regulatory Chamber and become the First-tier Tribunal (Local Government Standards in England).

Voting Methods

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his response to his Department's consultation on weekend voting.

Jack Straw: The Government's response to the Election Day: Weekend Voting consultation will be published shortly. The responses to the consultation reveal that there is a wide range of views on whether weekend voting would have a positive impact on turnout.

Young Offenders: Sentencing

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many sentences for each type of offence were handed down to young offenders in 2009.

Claire Ward: The available information is provided in the following table.
	
		
			  Total sentences handed down to young offenders (10 to 17) for each type of offence, 2007 
			   10 to 17  18 to 20 
			 Violence against the person 7,689 7,620 
			 Sexual offences 532 410 
			 Burglary 6,127 3,978 
			 Robbery 4,115 1,812 
			 Theft and handling stolen goods 18,211 12,669 
			 Fraud and forgery 674 1,437 
			 Criminal damage 3,623 2,132 
			 Drug offences 5,263 6,691 
			 Other (excluding motoring offences) 4,176 7,130 
			 Motoring offences 413 1,010 
			 All indictable offences 50,823 44,889 
			 Summary non-motoring offences 36,712 49,553 
			 Summary motoring offences 9,852 45,834 
			 All summary offences 46,564 95,387 
			 All offences 97,387 140,276 
			  Note: These figures have been drawn from administrative data systems. Although care is taken when processing and analysing the returns, the detail collected is subject to the inaccuracies inherent in any large scale recording system.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services, Ministry of Justice 
		
	
	Sentencing Statistics 2008 will be published on 28 January 2010. Data for 2008 will not be available until after this date.
	These data are presented on the principal offence basis: where an offender has been sentenced for more than one offence the principal offence is the one for which the heaviest sentence was imposed; where the same sentence has been imposed for two or more offences the principal offence is the one for which the statutory maximum is most severe.

Youth Custody

Dominic Grieve: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many juveniles sentenced to a custodial sentence in the last year for which information is available had served more than three previous custodial sentences.

Jack Straw: In 2007, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 529 occasions when juvenile offenders were given immediate custodial sentences for indictable or triable-either-way offences in England and Wales having received more than three previous custodial sentences.
	The figure represents a further breakdown of the statistics published in Table 6.8 of 'Sentencing Statistics 2007' which can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/sentencingannual.htm
	The 2008 edition of 'Sentencing Statistics' will be published on 28( )January 2010.
	This figure has been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figure is provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Youth Justice Board

David Burrowes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the policy of the Youth Justice Board is on access by former employees to  (a) laptops,  (b) emails,  (c) electronic files and  (d) information systems operated by the Board.

Maria Eagle: The Youth Justice Board's (YJB) information and communication technology (ICT) policy for leavers states that former
	employees and all other personnel leaving the YJB are required before their last working day, to:
	Return all YJB equipment on loan to them to their line manager
	Return hard storage material such as CDs, DVDs and USB memory sticks to their line manager
	Return paper files, document passwords and office passes to their line manager
	Delete unwanted files and e-mails from their desktop PC, laptop PC, BlackBerry or any other storage device
	Transfer remaining required files and e-mails to their line manager or nominated colleague.
	They should not have access to laptops, e-mails, electronic files or internal information systems operated or owned by the YJB, once they have left the employment of the YJB.
	The policy and YJB staff handbook also state that former employees are under an obligation to ensure they return any property or equipment belonging to the YJB.
	Former YJB employees who subsequently work with or for a youth offending team or secure establishment may be given access to external information systems run by the YJB, but they would not have any access to internal information systems.